Everything
by Mystified Dreamer
Summary: RT: "Rory snapped from her train of thoughts at the sound of his husky voice. The tingles she got from his warm breath across her neck answered her own inquiry. This was definitely something that needed to happen." [Chap-18]
1. Chapter 1

**Everything**

**_Disclaimer:_** I don't own anything except the plot and the characters that you don't recognize from the show.

**_Summary:_** When Rory Hayden comes back to Chilton, she still sees Tristan Dugrey as her brother's annoying friend that won't seem to leave her alone. But when opinions change, friendships can form, and maybe, it could become something more.

**_Good to know:_** Rory went to school in England for a year, then comes back to Chilton for her senior year. She hangs out with her old friends. Lorelai and Christopher are married and they live in Hartford. Dean and Jess don't exist; she's not friends with Paris.

**_Rating:_ **PG13

_**A/N**:_ I'm working on other trories right now too, I think I'll finish them, this was just an idea that popped into my head at like, 3am, you know how that happens; you can be thinking of a bunch of completely random stuff and then 'pop' you just get the idea, and yea, anyways, on with the story! Please R/R!!!!!!! Dean doesn't exist and neither does Jess. She's not friends with Paris. They might be a bit OOC, I'm not sure yet.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

* * *

'Was it always this big? I've only been gone a year.' she thought to herself as she pulled her silver Porsche convertible into the Chilton parking lot.

Rory Hayden went to Chilton Prep for a year before she decided to go to a preparatory school in England. It was great at first, but then she missed her friends and family too much, so she decided to come back for senior year. Only her parents and grandparents knew that she was coming back, she wanted to surprise her twin brother Danny, who was older than her by eight minutes, and her friends.

Her looks had changed quite a bit in the past year. Her face had matured, she was taller, and she wore a bit of make up.

Rory got out of her car and headed towards the headmaster's office to get her schedule. Students in the hall gave her strange looks; she looked familiar to them, but they couldn't quite recognize her.

_'Oh come on, I haven't changed that much.'_ she thought as she made her way down the hall.

"Ahhh, Rory Hayden," the headmaster said, peering over the rim of his glasses when she entered his office, "it's nice to have you back."

She smiled, "It's nice to be back."

* * *

Rory entered the classroom and handed the hall pass to Mr. Medina.

"Hello, Miss Hayden." the teacher greeted as all eyes in the classroom turned to her at the mention of the name.

"Hi Mr. Medina." she said, avoiding the curious glances of the students.

"Welcome back, please, take a seat."

Rory looked around the classroom, and spotted the only one empty seat left. She walked to the back of the classroom, and sat down next to a handsome blonde boy whom she recognized as one of her brother's best friends. Tristan Dugrey.

She never understood why Danny was such good friends with him. He was such a pain, and she tried her best to avoid him, although practically always unsuccessful.

She took out her notebook, ignoring his surprised gaze, and began scribbling down the notes on the board. 'It's the first day of school, and the teachers waste no time in giving the students hell.'

Tristan leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Hey Mary."

She inwardly groaned. "Ugh. I go away for a year and you still haven't changed. For the millionth time my name is Rory, one would think that you'd be able to get a single name right after such a long time?" she hissed back.

She always wondered what had happened to the nice, sweet boy he had once been when they were younger. A boy that she used to have a crush on. But not anymore, of course. The feelings she had towards him so many years before, had been stomped on and steamrolled over a long time ago. Trying to pick up the pieces wasn't something that she planned to do.

------

Tristan's head snapped up at the name. Rory Hayden. He couldn't believe that she was back. Other than the holidays, he thought that she was gone for good, having had her eyes set on Oxford after whatever other school she went to in England. Yet there she was, standing in front of him in her Chilton uniform, looking as beautiful as ever, which could only mean one thing, she was back for good.

She sat down next to him, and he started to panic. She was gone for a year and all of a sudden she just comes back and sits right next to him?

Well, there were two things that he could do. One, he could act like the jerk that only she could make him be, or; Two, he could act civil to her and try to gain her friendship, well, for now anyway.

The two had actually been friends at one point, that was, before he hit puberty. Then, their relationship just went downhill from there. He had always liked her, ever since they were little, but damn those hormones...

He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Hey Mary."

Jerk it was.

* * *

"Omigod." Amber said, her mouth gaping wide open, "Ror, is that really you?"

Rory smiled widely, she had missed her best friend, "Yea, it's me!" she said, as the two girls hugged.

"I missed you so much! I can't believe Danny didn't tell me that you were coming back." she said, pulling away from the embrace. Amber and Danny had been going out for two years now.

"Well, he didn't know. He still doesn't know actually, I'm surprised, it usually takes all but one minute for news to spread through." Rory explained as they started walking down the hall, "I wanted to surprise him this morning, but I had to meet with the headmaster, and I haven't had any classes with him yet."

"Well it's lunch, so he's probably playing football with the guys. Everyone else is probably there too, come on, they'll be so happy to see you!" Amber said, literally dragging Rory out to the field, "So, tell me about England..."

* * *

"Rory!" April yelled when Rory and Amber entered the field, causing the other two girls to look up from their conversation, and the guys from their game.

"Hey you!" Rory said, walking towards them.

"You're back!" April said, a look of shock and happiness on her face.

Rory laughed, "Yea, I'm back."

"We missed you so much!" Kelly squealed, running up and giving her friend a hug.

"I missed you guys too!"

"When did you get here?" Chelsea asked, giving her yet another hug. The five girls had been best friends since they were in diapers.

"Just a few days ago, I was with my grandparents, just until everything got settled." Rory said, as they made their way down the steps of the stadium.

"So you're here to stay?" April asked.

"Yup, I'm here to stay."

"Don't I get a hug?" a male voice asked from behind.

Rory turned around, "Danny!" she screamed, jumping into her brother's waiting arms. He had the same chocolate brown hair and sparkling blue eyes.

"Hey!" he said happily, holding his sister close.

"Hey Squirt." another voice said.

Rory pulled back from the hug. There was only one person that called her that.

"Mike!" she yelled as the light brown haired boy pulled her into an embrace. They had a knack for making up random nicknames for each other. There were so many that they had lost count over the years.

Then there was Charlie, the jokester, if anyone needed a good laugh, they'd know where to go. And of course, Josh, he was the more sensible of the group, he and April had been dating for a while now. They had all come to be like brothers to her.

Then there was Tristan. Tristan was the cocky, arrogant ass as Rory liked to call him. With his tousled blonde hair, azure blue eyes, and strong physique, he had girls falling at his feet on a regular basis, building up an all too big of an ego.

She merely glared at him.

"Hey Mary, miss me?"

"Ugh! It's Rory! R-O-R-Y!"

"Uh huh, and why is it that I am the only one that doesn't get a hug?"

"Because I only hug people I like and are smart enough to know my name." she snapped.

"You wound me, Mary." he mocked hurt and put his hand over his heart.

"God, you're annoying."

"Well I've been called many things before. Handsome, hot, sexy, wonderful, amazing, but I think you're the first to call me God, though I do think the name fits quite well."

"More like the opposite, you're Satan."

"Well then I'm hot."

"Danny, why are you friends with him?" Rory asked her brother, who, along with the other seven teenagers, watched the two in amusement.

"I fail to see the truth in that statement."

"Okay, enough you two, time for girl talk." Amber butted in as the girls dragged her to the other end of the field.

------

"He is such a jerk." Rory scowled when they sat down on the turf.

"He likes you." April stated.

"What?! He hates me!"

The four girls snorted.

"He does!"

"Come on Ror, he was giving the googly eyes before you left, and now that you're back, he still does."

"Oh yea, that explains why he's always such an ass." Rory said sarcastically.

"Well that's because he's gone with the first grader technique: Annoy the one you like." Amber said.

"Hmm, how mature."

"Well you are the first girl that's ever rejected him. Why? I don't know, but he just doesn't know how to act around you."

"Which means he's gotta like you, a lot." Chelsea added, nodding her head.

"You guys are crazy."

* * *

The five girls walked around the mall after school. After stopping by a few shops, Rory suggested that they get something to eat.

As they entered the food court, they heard a familiar male voice.

"Hello ladies." Mike said as the girls turned around to see Danny, Josh, Charlie, and Tristan.

"Hey guys! What are you doing here?" Amber asked, giving Danny a kiss on the cheek.

"Ummm... shopping?" Josh suggested.

The girls raised their eyebrows.

"What? I saw this totally fab shirt the other day and I just had to show the guys." Charlie said, imitating a girl's voice.

"Oh come on, we are not like that. You're so stereotypical." Kelly said.

"Okay, fine. But we thought we'd catch some hot chicks here." Tristan smirked.

"Why does that not surprise me." Rory said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I don't know, why doesn't that surprise you?" Tristan piped.

"Shut up."

"Don't feel like it."

"Ugh!"

"Come to think of it, there is this one way you could shut me up."

"I'm going to get some fries." Rory said, and with that, she stalked off.

The teenagers got their food and hung out at the mall for a while longer before agreeing to pizza and a movie that evening at the Hayden mansion.

* * *

"You know, if you like her, you should really stop trying to piss her off." Josh said as the five guys headed towards Danny's car.

"I don't like her. It's just fun bugging her." Tristan said.

"Yea, right." Mike said, rolling his eyes.

"What? I don't. Sure she's got and everything, but she's just not my type."

"Hey, watch it." Danny said.

"Right, she's your sister. I know."

"And don't you forget it."

It was Tristan's turn to roll his eyes, "It's not like I'm going out with her or anything."

"Not now." one of the guys mumbled, before covering it up with a cough.

"What?"

"Nothing." Charlie said.

"I don't like her." Tristan stated, rather unconvincingly.

"Whatever you say..." Mike said.

"I don't." he mumbled more or less to himself.


	2. Chapter 2

**Everything**

**_Disclaimer:_** I don't own anything except the plot and the characters that you don't recognize from the show.

**_Summary:_** When Rory Hayden comes back to Chilton, she still sees Tristan Dugrey as her brother's annoying friend that won't seem to leave her alone. But when opinions change, friendships can form, and maybe, it could become something more.

**_Good to know:_** Rory went to school in England for a year, then comes back to Chilton for her senior year. She hangs out with her old friends. Lorelai and Christopher are married and they live in Hartford . Dean and Jess don't exist; she's not friends with Paris.

**_Rating:_ **PG13

* * *

**Chapter 2**

* * *

The girls sat on Rory's bed surrounded by shopping bags.

"So, tell me about England!" Amber said excitedly, crossing her legs.

"It was great. The teachers were pretty strict, and it was really hard-"

"Even harder than Chilton?" Kelly asked.

"Even harder than Chilton."

The girls made a face.

"Anyways, I made some really cool friends though." Rory said, looking at her friends, who were expectantly waiting for her to continue.

Rory sighed, "Yes, there were cute guys with accents."

Her four friends still looked at her with expectant expressions, except a smile was added this time.

"Yes, I went out with a few of them." Rory said, rolling her eyes, "Not that any of them worked out."

"Why?" Chelsea asked, frowning.

Rory shrugged, "We didn't really click."

Silence.

"We didn't."

The girls raised their eyebrows.

"They were getting a bit too close for my taste. Plus, I knew I'd be coming back to Hartford the moment I stepped off that plane, granted it took me a year to actually decide to come back, but still, I didn't want to get too... attached."

"So you're saying that you didn't want to commit to a relationship." April said.

Rory nodded.

"Because you knew you'd be coming back to Hartford, so there was no point in getting serious."

Rory nodded again, a bit hesitantly.

"And not because you didn't want them to somehow hurt you if you got too close."

This time she just toyed with a strand of lose thread on her comforter.

Amber sighed, "Ror, you have got to get over what that jerk did to you. He's an idiot, and he is so not worth it."

"I know..."

"Seriously, you have to at least try to make a relationship last." Chelsea said.

"I know..."

"You deserve to be happy." Kelly added.

"I know..."

"Soooo?" April asked.

"Soooo...?"

"You gunna try and make relationships work?"

"I guess..."

"Rory," Kelly said.

"Yea, yea. I'll try to make them work." Rory said, defeated. Four to one, that was so not fair.

_'Riiiiiing'_

"Hello?" Rory answered, _Saved by the bell_.

"Rory?" the voice at the other end of the line questioned.

"Yes?"

"It's Tristan."

"Tristan?" she asked, surprised.

This definitely caught the four girls' attention, causing them to press their ears up to the phone. Rory tried to push them away, but they fought back.

"Yea."

"What do you want?"

He hesitated before speaking, "Listen, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for acting like a jerk today. And, well, all the other times before."

"You're up to something, aren't you?" That was the only reasonably explanation Rory could come up with to his more than odd behavior. Tristan Dugrey... apologizing?

He let out a soft chuckle, "No, I'm not. It's just that you were away for a year and now that you're back I thought that maybe we could start fresh, since I'm such good friends with your brother I thought that maybe we could be friends too, like we use to be before I, well," he cleared his throat, deciding it was best to change the direction of the conversation, "You really didn't deserve all the crap I've given you."

The four girls' knowing smiles earned a confused look from Rory.

"Okay, now I know something's wrong. Are you feeling OK?"

"Why Mary, I didn't know you cared."

Tristan knew that he had said the wrong thing as soon as silence followed his remark on the other end.

"Right, sorry. No, I'm feeling fine. But like I said before, since I'm such good friends with Danny it'd be weird having you hate me all the time."

"I don't hate you."

"Could've fooled me." Tristan mumbled away from the phone.

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing. But really, what'd ya say?" Please say yes, please say yes.

Rory thought about it for a moment while looking at her friends, who were all nodding vigorously in unison.

"Ummm, you're serious?"

The four girls rolled their eyes before pressing their ears up to the phone again.

"Yes."

"You promise to be nice?"

"Absolutely."

"Ummm," Rory hesitated, this was certainly a change. A part of her didn't want to be friends with him, knowing how much of a jerk he could be, but a part of her did, like they used to be when they were little. She smiled at a memory of them playing in the sandbox. One of the mean kids had just wrecked her sand castle, and Tristan had offered to help her rebuild it, "Okay then, I guess."

"Really?" Tristan asked, surprised. He would've thought that it'd take a while longer than that for her to decide.

"I don't know how long we'd actually be able to be friendly to each other, but it's worth a shot."

"Great!" he said, a bit too cheerfully.

"Yea, well I gotta go. I guess I'll see you in an hour or so, you know, for pizza and a movie." Rory said.

"You can count on it."

"Umm, bye."

"Bye, Rory."

She hung up and raised her eyebrows questioningly at her friends' wide smiles.

"What?"

"You're friends!" Amber said.

"Yea, so?"

"Well first you're friends, then you'll start liking him, as in really like him, so then you two will start dating, and then you'll get really, really serious, and BOOM! You and him will get married and have kids and live 'til you're a hundred." Kelly said happily.

"Aww," Rory said in mock sympathy, patting Kelly on the shoulder, "Kel, it's okay. Even though you're crazy, we'll still love you."

Kelly glared at her.

* * *

"It's about time!" Amber said, plopping down on the kitchen stool.

"You know, they haven't actually seen each other yet since the phone call." Chelsea pointed out.

"I know, let's just hope he doesn't blow it." April said, biting into an apple.

"They should be here soon, I can't wait to talk to Tristan." Kelly said excitedly.

"Why are you excited about talking to Tristan?" Rory asked, entering the kitchen.

"Ooooh, no reason." Kelly said, as the girls lapsed into silence. A suspicious Rory caught on when the four girls smiled at each other.

"Oh no you don't." Rory said, shaking her head.

"Don't what?" Amber asked innocently.

"You're gunna pound Tristan when he walks through that door with who knows what. I told you, he does not like me!"

Her only response was knowing smiles from the girls.

"He doesn't! God, you'd think a guy would be able to be friends with a girl without people thinking he likes her. What are we? First graders?"

Silence.

"Stop that!"

"Stop what?"

"Smiling like that. It's freaky."

_'Ding Dong'_

"I'll get it!" Amber, Chelsea, April, and Kelly yelled when they heard the doorbell ring.

"Nuh uh!" Rory said as the girls raced to the door.

"Hey guys." Rory panted, opening the front door, shortly followed by the rest of the girls screeching around the corner.

"Uhhh, he sis. I forgot my keys. Why are you panting?" Danny asked as he stepped inside.

She cocked her head to the side and smiled sweetly, "Oooh, no reason. Just wanted to see my brother I guess."

The guys looked at her like she had a pink elephant dancing on her head.

"What?"

He just shook his head, "Sometimes I wonder how we're actually related, let alone be twins." And with that, the teenagers headed towards the wreck room.

"Hello friend." Tristan said, sticking out his hand.

Rory laughed, "Hello friend." she returned, shaking his hand.

"And how are we doing on this fine day?"

"Well, discluding a jerk that I encountered today, I'm doing quite well thank you."

"Look, I said I was sorry."

"Yea, yea. I know, I was just teasing."

Tristan smiled, "Good."

"So, what about you?"

"Well, I'm better now that you're here." he grinned.

"Well aren't you sweet?" Rory said, rolling her eyes.

"What can I say? I'm a charmer."

"There goes the ego."

"Well you didn't expect me to do a complete 180, did you?"

"Actually, I sort of did." she mocked.

"That's merely impossible."

"Nothing's impossible, Tristan." Rory said, entering the wreck room.

_'Let's hope not.'_ he thought as he watched her sit between Amber and Kelly on the couch.

* * *

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no." Josh said, shaking his head.

"Yes!" the five girls shot back.

"You don't really expect us to watch A Walk to Remember, do you?" Mike asked, looking at the movie as if a giant monster was going to jump out of the box any minute.

"Yes!"

"And you actually like that movie?" Danny asked.

"Yes!"

"Isn't it a chick flick?" Charlie asked.

"Yes!"

"Can we watch you girls have a pillow fight in your underwear?" Tristan asked.

"NO!!!"

"Juuuust checkin'."

"We are all watching A Walk to Remember and that's that." Amber stated with finality.

"Noooo." the guys whined.

"Yeees." the girls mimicked.

"Whatever, I'll probably just fall asleep anyway." Josh said, leaning back and putting his arm around April, who nodded in approval at her boyfriend.

_'Ding Dong'_

"That's the pizza," Rory said, "I'll get it."

Danny put the movie in the DVD player while the rest of the teenagers settled around the wreck room. April and Josh lay on the floor with some pillows, Mike and Chelsea sprawled out on the couch, Kelly and Charlie sat in lounge chairs, Danny and Amber also settled on the floor, and Tristan sat on another couch with his feet propped up against the coffee table.

Rory came back with the pizza and sat down on the only remaining spot: next to Tristan on the small couch. She ignored the weird feeling she got from their close proximity and concentrated on the movie, or, at least tried to.

It took Tristan all he had not to reach out and pull her to him. That would ruin everything, Tristan told himself. He had just gotten her to be friends with him, he couldn't screw things up.

Rory started getting tired halfway through the movie. She hadn't noticed how Tristan's arm at crept around her. Her eyelids started to droop and she was soon fast asleep with her head resting on Tristan's shoulder.

Tristan was bored out of his mind, he hated movies like this. 'What the...' Tristan thought at the sudden weight on his shoulder. Then he noticed how he had subconsciously put his arm around Rory. When he noticed that she had fallen asleep, and he didn't want to wake her up by moving it, so he just kept it there.

Soon after, he fell asleep as well, his head resting on top of hers.

* * *

"Ummm, are you going to be okay?" Josh asked April as she wiped the tears away.

"Mmm hmm." she sniffed.

"That was so sad." Amber said, grabbing another tissue.

"Hmm, I wouldn't know, I fell asleep." Danny yawned, stretching his arms in exaggeration.

"I love that movie." April said.

"Well, Mandy Moore is pretty hot." Mike said, earning a smack from Chelsea, "but not as hot as you." he smiled charmingly.

"Nice save."

"Shhhhh." Kelly whispered, when the others looked at her questioningly, she pointed to Rory and Tristan who were asleep in each others arms on the couch.

"Awww, they look so cute together." Amber whispered.

"I wonder how long it's going to take for them to get together." Chelsea said.

"Not for a while. They just started getting along, it's going to take a while for Rory to actually get comfortable with him and like him--even though she's lookin' pretty damn comfortable now--I just hope he doesn't blow it." April said a-matter-of-factly.

"Yea..."

"Should we wake them up?" Mike asked.

"Naaah, they'll be in for a pleasant surprise tomorrow." Danny smirked.

And with that they all left.

* * *

When Danny came home, Tristan and Rory were still in the exact same position. He went over and put a blanket over them.

"You better not break her heart, Dugrey." he said quietly before retreating upstairs to his room.


	3. Chapter 3

**Everything**

**_Disclaimer: _**I don't own anything except the plot at characters that you don't recognize from the show.

_**Summary**:_ When Rory Hayden comes back to Chilton, she still sees Tristan Dugrey as her brother's annoying friend that won't seem to leave her alone. But when opinions change, friendships can form, and maybe, it could become something more.

**_Good to know:_** Rory went to school in England for a year, then comes back to Chilton for her senior year. She hangs out with her old friends. Lorelai and Christopher are married and they live in Hartford. Dean doesn't exist and neither does Jess; she's not friends with Paris.

**_Rating:_ **PG13

* * *

**Chapter 3**

* * *

The next morning, Tristan awoke as the sunshine poured on his face. He vaguely remembered where he was, as his eyes were still closed, but considering the great feeling he had at the moment, he decided that he should fall asleep like this more often. Very relaxing. But that theory soon went down the drain as soon as he opened his eyes.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" he screamed, eyes wide with shock.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" Lorelai screamed, jumping back slightly from her position in front of the pair.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" Rory screamed, flinging her sleep filled eyes opened at the glass shattering noise.

"Lorelai! Do _not_ do that!" Tristan said, referring to the way her face had been stuck up to their (his and Rory's) own just moments ago, "You scared the living—"

"Well good morning to you too, Tristan." Lorelai interrupted sweetly, recovering from her mild heart attack all too quickly, resting her elbows on the edge of the couch and propping her head up with her hands, "Why are you touching my daughter?" she asked.

At first neither he nor Rory knew what she was talking about. He wasn't touching Rory... both of them looked down at their oh-so-cozy position—okay, so maybe he was. Not for long though, as they pulled away quickly as soon as they noticed.

"Oh, ahhh, hi mom." Rory said nervously. Why was she nervous anyway? Oh right, she had just fallen asleep with a guy, but not just any guy. Tristan Dugrey.

"Hello." Lorelai greeted in the same sickening sweet tone, "Why were you sleeping with Danny's friend that you ever so nicely like to refer to as cocky evil jackass?"

"What the hell is going on here?" a robe clad Christopher asked as he came into the room, closely followed by a disheveled Danny, "I wake up to three blood piercing screams, and my wife is not in bed. Now Tristan is on the couch with Rory looking like they both just woke up, and my son is bent over laughing for some reason. Oh, and I don't smell coffee."

"You should see the looks on your faces right now, they're hilarious!" Danny laughed, wiping a fake tear from his eye.

"Would somebody please tell me what's going on?" Chris asked impatiently, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Tristan? Rory?" Lorelai inquired.

"Yes, Tristan? Rory?" Danny repeated, grinning. This was going to be good.

"Why didn't you wake us up?" Rory hissed at her brother.

"I would have," he said with mock seriousness, "but you two just looked so cozy together, I didn't want to intrude."

"Not helping." she said in a sing-song voice.

"Oh yes, very, very cozy." Lorelai said, nodding, "Now Tristan, why were you sleeping with my daughter?"

"Well, you see, we were watching a movie..." Tristan started.

"And then we kinda fell asleep." Rory finished.

"In each others arms." Lorelai added.

"Umm, well, uhh, I guess that was just a subconscious thing..." he said, looking anywhere but Rory's beet red face.

"Uh huh..." Lorelai said, pretending to ponder about what he had just said.

Silence.

"I guess I should probably get going now." Tristan said, standing up, desperate to escape the stares of Rory's parents.

"Yes, you should." Chris agreed curtly.

"Ummm... bye then." Tristan said, heading towards the door, with Danny right behind him.

The two boys walked together in silence until they reached the door.

"You are so dead." Tristan said, turning around to face his supposed best friend.

Danny smirked, "Can you honestly say you weren't happy about it?"

"Yes!" Tristan exclaimed. How on earth could he possibly be happy about the situation?

"I meant the part where you and Rory fell asleep, not the part where my mom caught you."

"Oh... well, no. But still, now I've probably scared her off." he said, not even thinking as the words tumbled out of his mouth.

"So you do admit you like her!"

"I never said that!" Tristan defended, "It's just that we were just starting to become friends." he finished lamely.

"Whatever man." Danny said, shaking his head, "I'll see you at school in a couple of hours." And with that, he pushed Tristan out the door before he could say another word.

------

Christopher had gone back upstairs to get ready for work, leaving Rory and Lorelai alone in the wreck room.

"What?" Rory asked as she noticed Lorelai smiling at her. She was surprised at how she could turn from evil mom to nice mom in one point five seconds flat. Then again, Lorelai was never really the type of person that anyone could figure out.

"He likes you." Lorelai stated.

"No he doesn't." Rory said, she was sick of everyone telling her that, "We're just friends!"

"Hey," Lorelai said, putting her hands up in the air, "I never said that you guys were together or anything, I just stated that he likes you, and—wait, since when were you two friends?"

"Since he apologized for being a jerk and suggested that we be friends because he and Danny are friends." Rory said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"That's just an excuse."

"No it's not!"

"Hun, you should've seen the way he looked when he was sleeping, I don't think I've ever seen anyone smile in there sleep. Not even your father after we've-"

"Omigod! My virgin ears!" Rory yelled, shutting her eyes and putting her hands over her ears, humming the Pippi Longstocking song to herself.

"Sweetie," Lorelai said, pulling her daughter's hands away from her ears, "ya gotta face the facts. I mean, how do you think you and Danny got here in the first place?"

"I so did not need to hear that." Rory said, making a face, "Besides, he was probably just having a good dream! A lot of people smile in their sleep when their having a good dream."

"Maybe... maybe not. You didn't look too bad yourself."

"What's your point?" Rory snapped.

"Nothing."

"I don't like him!" she protested.

"Yeah, yeah." Lorelai grinned, "Not yet anyways..." she coughed.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"We're barely friends!"

"Yes I know. I'm just saying he liked you before you left and now that you're back he still does. It's just a matter of time before you like him too. I mean, with that body, who wouldn't?"

"Ewww, you did not just say that." Rory said, making another face, her mother seemed to have a talent for grossing people—her in particular—out, "I do not and will not like Tristan Dugrey. Ever. And he doesn't like me. Just because I'm friends with him does not mean that I like or will like him 'cause he is still a womanizing player!"

"Why don't you ask Danny to keep you updated on his dating status." Lorelai suggested.

"I don't think he'd be able to keep up." Rory said dryly.

"Someone talking about me?" Danny asked as he entered the room.

"Oh yes, I was just telling Rory here to ask you to keep her updated on Tristan's dating status." Lorelai said with an innocent smile. A smile that meant that she was obviously up to something. And a smile that was not missed by either of her kids.

"And I was just telling her that you wouldn't be able to keep up." Rory added, glaring at them both.

"Oh, you'd be surprised." Danny said with a raise of his eyebrows.

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"It's just that after you left he didn't date for a couple of months, then he started dating again and, yes, I couldn't keep up, but now that you're back..."

What was with people and the 'after you left and now that you're back thing'? God, it was like everyone she knew had met beforehand and decided what they were going to say to her. She was hearing the same things over and over again.

Rory could picture it now. They met here, at her house, and they all sat down nice and neatly on the couches, legs crossed, armed with a pad of paper and pen. They discussed the things that would irritate her—mainly Tristan, well, _just_ Tristan—and turned it all into a script. Taking a sip from their glass of water when their mouth got dry from practicing their lines, and—okay, now she was getting ahead of herself... kind of.

"Now that I'm back..." Rory continued, snapping herself from her train of thoughts.

"Well, you'll figure it out soon enough."

"I hate it when people do that."

"Yeah, well, tough. I'm going to get ready for school."

Rory stared at his retreating figure in confusion.

The script thing really seemed like a major possibility at the moment.

* * *

"Hey Ror!" Amber chirped, the four girls walked up to Rory's locker.

Rory glared at her.

"What?" she asked innocently, smirking inwardly knowing exactly why she was glaring.

"Why didn't you wake us up?!" Rory demanded, throwing a textbook into her backpack.

"Ooooooh, _that."_

"Yeeees, _that." _Rory mimicked, annoyed with her friends.

"Well you how you are when you've just woken up..."

Rory still glared and Amber shot a 'help me' look to the others.

"Well we ever so pleasantly woken up by my mother." she snapped.

"Ouch. Sorry." Kelly said sympathetically.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Rory said sarcastically, walking towards her math class though the bell had yet to ring.

Amber smirked at the others before they caught up to her.

"Come on Ror, don't be mad." Amber said.

"It was sooo embarrassing!"

"You guys fell asleep, what's wrong with that?" Chelsea asked.

"What's wrong with that?! I was all cuddled up to him and we just started being friends and now I think my parents are suspicious."

"By the way you two looked together I'd be too." April said muttered.

It was April's turn to receive a glare.

"Sorry." April said quietly, looking away, holding back a smile, something she seemed to be doing a lot within the last couple of days.

"Next time we'll wake you up." Kelly promised, trying to somewhat stop the steam from coming out of Rory's ears.

"There won't be a next time." Rory said.

"Sure there won't." Keyword: _somewhat_.

* * *

"Hey Rory." Tristan said hesitantly, walking up to her and leaning against a neighboring locker at break.

"Oh, hi."

Silence.

"Look-" they said in unison before letting out a nervous laugh.

"You go first-" they said together again. They smiled nervously.

"Ok, I'll go first," Rory said, avoiding what she was sure would progress into an echo of a conversation, "Look, I'm sorry about my mom, if she freaked you out this morning or something... you know how she is."

"Yeah. And I shouldn't have fallen asleep..." he said, not realizing how lame that sounded.

"Well no one can help it if they're tired... or in your case, bored."

"Yeah..." Tristan said, chuckling a bit.

"So... we're ok?"

"Yea, we're ok." _'Phew.'_

Then the bell rang.

"Ummm, I'll see you later?" Tristan asked.

"Yeah," Rory smiled, "see ya."

* * *

"How is it that guys find running around a field with a ball, tackling each other fun?" April asked. The five girls sat on the bleachers at lunch.

"Beats me, I've been going out with Mike for two years and I still don't understand him." Chelsea said.

"Soooo?" Kelly asked and all the girls turned expectantly at Rory.

"What?"

They rolled they rolled their eyes. Sometimes it was a real wonder how she could have a three digit IQ.

"Are you still freaked out about the whole you and Tristan sleeping together thing?" Amber asked giving Rory an isn't-it-obvious look.

"You make it sound like, we, ummm, did more than, _just sleep_, when you put it that way."

"Well did you?" Kelly asked, very well knowing the answer to the question, but asking just for kicks.

"What?! NO!" Rory yelled shocked, causing the five guys to look up from their game.

"Calm down Ror, we know, we're just teasing. But seriously, are you?" Chelsea asked.

"No. We're okay."

"You're okay?"

"Yea, I mean, despite the fact that it was still kinda embarrassing, he came up to me this morning and we just made a mutual understanding."

"Huh."

------

"What do you think they're talking about?" Tristan asked nodding towards the girls as he passed the football to Danny.

"Well from the looks of it: you." Danny said, tossing the ball to Charlie.

"Me?"

"Yea, I mean, look at the way they're nailing Rory." Mike said.

"What has that got to do with me?"

"Well you remember how cozy you two were last night?" Josh smirked and Tristan glared at him.

"I can't believe you guys left us like that. You know how easily that could've scared her off?"

"And why wouldn't you want to scare her off?" Charlie asked.

"Because she's my friend." Tristan said, knowing where this was headed.

"But you want to be more than friends." Mike stated.

"Shut up."

The four guys smirked. His defenses were weakening.

"I mean, so what if I do, it's not like she's ever gunna like me." He said bitterly.

"Not now." Danny said, "But that doesn't mean not later."


	4. Chapter 4

Everything

_**Disclaimer:**_ I don't own anything except the plot and the characters that you don't recognize from the show.

_**Summary**:_ When Rory Hayden comes back to Chilton, she still sees Tristan Dugrey as her brother's annoying friend that won't seem to leave her alone. But when opinions change, friendships can form, and maybe it could become something more.

**Good to know:** Rory went to school in England for a year, then comes back to Chilton for her senior year. She hangs out with her old friends. Lorelai and Christopher are married and they live in Hartford. Dean and Jess don't exist.She's not friends with Paris; I'm having fun with my own characters.

**Rating: **PG13

* * *

**Chapter 4**

* * *

"Noooooooo." Lorelai whined as Christopher dragged her to the front door.

"Lorelai, she's your mother. If you don't want to see her at least do it for Rory and Danny's sake, they barely get to see their grandparents anymore." Christopher tried to reason.

"Grandparents shmandparents," Lorelai mumbled, "I hate dressing up."

"Chris, ring the doorbell." Lorelai said.

"You never ring the doorbell, why can't you do it for once?"

"Fine." –Pause- "Danny, ring the doorbell."

"Mom, you can do it, just put your finger up to the button and lightly add some pressure to it." Danny said slowly as if talking to a five-year-old.

She reached up to the doorbell half-way, "Rory..." Lorelai pleaded and dropped her hand.

Before Rory could say anything the door swung open to reveal the maid, with Emily right behind her.

"Well hello!" Emily greeted.

"Hi grandma." Rory and Danny chorused giving her a sweet smile.

"Hello Emily." Christopher said with a smile.

"Mother." Lorelai stated.

"Come in, come in," she said ushering them inside, "I realized that I hadn't seen my grandchildren in a while, and what better time to see them than a social gathering that I was hosting?"

"Oh yay, now I get to nibble on finger food and make small talk with snobby socialites. It's like a dream come true." Lorelai muttered under her breath, but Christopher, Rory and Danny managed to hear her and shot her a warning look as they entered the living room which was already filled with people.

"Daniel, Rory. Why don't you two run along. We'll catch up later. Lorelai, Christopher, come with me, there's someone I'd like you to meet..." Emily said dragging the two adults away while Lorelai shot one last 'help me' look at her kids, who lovingly gave her a smirk, before disappearing into the crowd.

"Great, what are we suppose to do now? _Mingle?_" Rory said.

"Correction- what are _you_ suppose to do now. Amber's suppose to be here and we're gunna have some alone time." Danny said.

"Hey! She was _my_ best friend first!"

"Yea, well, tough. She's my girlfriend now."

"Hey guys!" Amber said walking up to them, "Omigosh, I was so bored. My parents decided to come early so I've been trailing behind them like a lost puppy."

"Well I'm here now, what'd ya say we go to the garden." Danny said dragging Amber away.

"Wait- what about Rory?" Amber said, stopping.

"Yea, what about me?" Rory said.

"You can... mingle." Danny said before pulling Amber away, who shot an apologetic look over her shoulder and saying, "I think Tristan's suppose to be here, why don't you go look for him?"

------

"You think she's gunna be ok?" Amber asked Danny when they reached the garden, "Tristan said he was going to be here tonight but you never know with him."

"He'll be here, and if not, too bad for her." Danny said pulling Amber close, "Besides, now it gives us some more time for this." And he playfully nibbled on her ear.

Amber giggled, "But seriously, she seemed pretty upset when we left her there. But then again, she's suppose to be so that Tristan can cheer her up... What do you think?"

"I really don't want to be thinking about my sister right now..." he said, tracing a line of kisses down her neck.

"Oh. Right."

* * *

'_Great best friend and brother I have there.' _Rory thought, _'But then again, they do deserve some alone time. What the heck am I talking about? They get plenty of that on their dates. They just abandoned me. Wait- did Amber say that Tristan would be here? Hmmm, maybe I'll go look for him... Speak of the devil, there he is.'_

Tristan made his way through the crowd when he spotted Rory.

"Hey Mary."

Rory was about to respond but decided to ignore him.

"Mary?" Tristan repeated.

"Hello? Anybody home?" he said, waving his hand in front of her face, confused by her behavior.

"Mary!"

"Rory? Are you mad at me or something?"

"What? Oh, hi! There you are, Tristan!" Rory said, smiling at him.

"Huh? I've been calling out your name trying to get your attention for while." he said, now completly confused.

"Really? 'Cause all I heard was someone calling out the name 'Mary'." She said innocently.

"Ha, ha, ha." He said sarcastically.

"Are you as bored as I am?"

"More."

"Wanna go to the garden for some fresh air? Hartford socialites aren't my favorite people to be around."

"Ahhhh, I don't know, Danny and Amber are out there right now."

"So?'"

Rory raised her eyebrows at him.

"Ooooh, right. But that garden is huge, I think we'll manage to avoid them." He said.

Rory was about to refuse because the thought of coming across her brother and best friend making out wasn't exactly on the top of her favorite things to witness list, when she saw someone making their way towards her, "Oh no, my grandma's coming this way, lets go." And she dragged him outside.

The two entered the beautifully lit garden and headed towards the fountain.

"Why didn't you want to see your grandma?" Tristan asked as they sat on the ledge of the fountain.

"Don't get me wrong, I love my grandparents and everything, but being introduced to countless Hartford socialites isn't really that enjoyable."

"Yea, I know what you mean. I've been to so many of these things its not even funny, all I gotta do is smile, exchange simple pleasantries, and move onto the next snobby couple. Repeat until your face hurts from smiling, and then leave."

"Sounds like fun, it's such a shame my parents don't like these social events. Oh how I would have enjoyed having a fake smile plastered on my face while listening to Hartford's latest scandals."

"Yea, well that's what you get for being a Dugrey."

"If it weren't for my mom, I'd probably have to be like you too."

"Be thankful."

"Oh believe me, I am."

"So I guess your brother and Amber deserted you."

"I don't have a brother and who's Amber?"

"Come on, you can't be that mad at them."

"Danny told me to _'mingle'_ and then left to go make-out!"

"And Amber just went along with him?"

"Well it does usually take two people to kiss, so, yes."

"Doesn't sound like them to do something like that..." Tristan said.

"What? Kiss?"

Tristan snorted, "No, I mean ditch you."

"Yea, I know. They usually stay with me, even though I end up being the third wheel anyway. I mean, it was different when Nick and I were toge-" Rory stopped at the thought of her ex-boyfriend. It happened over a year ago, she was over him, but it didn't mean that it still didn't hurt. It was their one year anniversary, they were going to go out for dinner that night but she wanted to give him a surprise, so she let herself in with the key under the doormat and went up to his room, only to find him in bed with another girl. And that was that. She cried for hours before she realized that jerk didn't deserve her tears, and she wasn't going to let him get to her, not then, not now, not ever.

Tristan was too busy pondering about Danny and Amber's behavior to notice Rory's pause, then realization hit him, _'They did that on purpose, they knew that I was going to be here so they left us alone, I am so going to kill them later for this- wait, this is a good thing, now this actually gives us some time to get to know each other. Note to self: Thank Danny and Amber. But I'm not suppose to know they did this intentionally. Whatever, I'm just going to pretend I didn't know. They might even be spying on us right now, you never know with Amber...'_

Both were lost in thought before they realized the silence and resumed comfortable conversation.

------

"He is so on to us." Amber whispered to Danny as they hid behind a bush.

"Can we please stop spying," Danny whispered back, "before he catches us then?"

"We are not spying."

"Right, we aren't. _You_ are."

"Oh shut up. They look so cute together." She said as she watched Rory and Tristan laugh at something.

"She does look pretty happy."

"I know..."

"Whatever, let's go." Danny said pulling her away.

"But I wanna see..." Amber whined.

"Stop snooping."

"I am not snooping."

Danny raised his eyebrows.

"Yes you are. Now let's go."

"Fine, fine, fine. No, wait, stop. My skirt's stuck, let me just..."

------

"Did you hear something?" Rory asked.

_'So they are spying...'_ "Nope, didn't hear a thing." Tristan lied.

"Huh, I could've sworn I heard some voices..." she said looking around.

_'Yea, so did I, Danny and Amber's voices.' _"Well maybe it's just some people from the party."

"Yea, probably."

Then came Amber's voice, louder though, "I can't! It's stuck."

"Here-" came Danny's voice.

"No! You're gunna rip it!"

"Well how else are you-"

"Stop it! It's one of my favori- OW!"

"Shhhhhh! Keep your voice down. I just gotta pull thi-"

"Don't rip it! This cost me a fortu- Stop that!"

"Well if you would just keep sti-"

"Ahhh!"

And through the bush, Danny and Amber came tumbling out with a deer caught in the headlights look.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Rory asked them.

"Spying." Tristan said giving them a pointed look.

"Spying? What- why?"

"We weren't spying." Amber said with an obvious guilty expression.

"Then what exactly _were_ you doing?"

"Aaahh, well, we, ummmmm..." Amber stammered.

"We, we, aaahhh, we were just, making out behind the bush?" Danny offered.

Amber smacked him on the arm.

Rory gave them a questioning frown while Tristan tried to hide his smirk from their failed attempts at getting him and Rory alone. Well it wasn't a complete failure, they just forgot the part where they were actually suppose to _be_ alone, but curiosity usually got the best of people.

"Anyways, we have to go do that..._ thing_." Danny said getting up off the ground and holding out his hand for Amber.

"What thing?" Amber asked him, sometimes she could be so stupid.

"Yea Danny, what _thing_?" Tristan echoed.

"You know that _thing_ I was telling you about?" Danny said as he pulled Amber to her feet.

"No."

Tristan was trying so hard to stifle his chuckle and Rory was just confused.

"The thing that we have to do _inside_."

Amber thought about it for a moment before she caught on, "Ooooooooh, _that_ thing. Yea, we really gotta go. See ya in a little bit guys." and with that they walked back to the house.

Rory stared after their retreating figures before saying, "Huh. Is it just me or were they acting really weird?"

"Yea, a bit."

"But then again, they're always weird."

"Nuh uh Mary, I think you're confusing yourself with them."

"Are you inquirering that I'm odd?"

"You betcha."

"Why thank you."

"Ummm... you're welcome?"

"Well I take it as a compliment because I'm glad that I'm different."

"You are one of a kind."

When she smiled at him, he couldn't help but hope.

* * *

The four teenagers at their table and picked at their food.

"What is it?" Rory asked when she poked at a jiggly piece of… whatever it was.

"I have no clue." Tristan replied.

"It's all… icky." Amber said.

"Something tells me we're going to be ordering take-out later." Danny said.

"Remind me how we ended up here?" Rory asked.

"When grandma asked if we could come, Mom's excuse was that we were going to be busy entertaining blue sheep." Danny replied.

"Right. She was never very good at making up lies."

"Yea, remember the time when we were four and she told dad that we had decided to run away and join the circus after she lost us at the mall?"

Rory laughed, "Yea, the security guard gave me a lollypop… mmmmm… I could really go for a lollypop right now, this food is really making me nauseous."

"Tell me about it." Tristan said.

Then Lorelai came running over to their table and said, "Ohmygoodness Rory! Are you ok? You look terrible! Is it the food?!" she asked frantically giving the teenagers a very obvious wink.

Catching on, the four teenagers leaned over in their chairs, clutched their stomachs and started groaning.

"Ooooooh, I don't feel so good mom." Danny said.

"Neither do I." Rory said.

"Oh dear, I think we should take you two home." Lorelai said loud enough for her mother and some onlookers to hear, then seeing the desperate looks on the other two teenagers, she added, "Amber and Tristan! You two don't look very good either! It must be the food! I knew teenagers were allergic to adult food! We can take you two home if it's ok with your parents!"

"Oh Lorelai, would you be so kind?" Mrs. Dugrey said coming up to them, followed closely by Amber's mother, Mrs. Cole.

"Yes, that would be so nice of you." Mrs. Cole said.

"Oh, it's no trouble." Lorelai said with a dismissive wave of her hand, "Well I guess we should be going now, come on kids."

Christopher followed them out, rolling his eyes at his wife's tactics to getting out of dinner, while others looked on with concern, oblivious to the fact that it was all an act.

"Teenagers allergic to adult food?" Rory whispered to her mother.

"Shut up." Lorelai hissed back.

* * *

When the four teenagers and two adults arrived at the Hayden mansion, they ordered take-out and ate like there was no tomorrow.


	5. Chapter 5

**Everything**

_**Disclaimer:**_ I don't own anything except the plot and the characters that you don't recognize from the show.

_**Summary**:_ When Rory Haydencomes back to Chilton, she still sees Tristan Dugrey as her brother's annoying friend that won't seem to leave her alone. But when opinions change, friendships can form, and maybe, it could become something more.

**_Good to know:_** Rory went to school in England for a year, then comes back to Chilton for her senior year. She hangs out with her old friends. Lorelai and Christopher are married and they live in Hartford. Dean and Jess don't exist. She's not friends with Paris; I'm having fun with my own characters.

**_Rating:_ **PG13

* * *

**Chapter 5**

* * *

"Guess what?!" Kelly squealed to the rest of the group as they sat down at their usual cafeteria table during lunch.

"What?" Charlie asked with a mouthful of mashed potatoes.

"It's the Hartford's 18th Annual Carnival this weekend!!!!"

The nine other teenagers rolled their eyes, "Yes, we know, Kel." Danny said.

"We're going right?!?!?!?!"

"No." they all replied in unison.

"What?" Kelly gasped, with a look of shock and disappointment.

They rolled their eyes again, "We were being sarcastic. Of course we're going, we've all been going together every year since we were four." April said.

"Oooooh."

"So we'll meet there at 6ish?" Amber asked.

"As always." Mike replied.

"I missed it last year." Rory pouted.

"That sucks, we missed you. It was so much fun though." Kelly said, then after getting a kick under the table from Amber and Chelsea, she corrected, "I mean, it was sooo boring, it just wasn't the same without you."

Rory grinned, "Yea, I'm sure."

"I'm done." Tristan said, "Let's go."

And the five guys went out to the field.

"I will never understand guys and football." Chelsea said, shaking her head.

* * *

The rest of the week passed by uneventfully, but Tristan and Rory seemed to grow closer by the second, which didn't go unnoticed by their friends.

"So, where to first?" Josh asked as they entered the carnival that weekend.

"Do you even have to ask?" April grinned and the five girls ran over to the teacup ride.

Mike smiled and shook his head, "Twelve years and they still find that ride amusing." he said as they followed them.

"I think it's more out of tradition." Charlie said.

"Yea, probably."

Danny climbed in with Amber; Josh climbed in with April; Mike climbed in with Chelsea; Charlie climbed in with Kelly; and Tristan 'coincidentally' had to climb in with Rory, not that either of them minded. Of course Tristan had always enjoyed her company, but now Rory enjoyed his company too...

* * *

"That's not fair." Rory pouted.

"Sorry miss." the guy behind the balloon popping booth said.

"Wow, that's the first time that you've ever missed." Danny said as they walked towards the next game stand.

"Shut up. I wanted Pookey."

"Pookey?" Mike asked.

"Yea, the pink cow." she said, pointing back towards the biggest stuffed animal.

"You mean the pink pig."

"Whatever, it looks like a cow. Then again, it does kinda look like a pig. I'll call it a pow."

Then Tristan stopped, took Rory's hand and started pulling her back towards the balloon popping stand.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Getting you Pookey." he replied.

"You mean you're gunna save him from the evil grasps of a five year old with cotton candy covered fingers?"

"That's one way of putting it."

"Ooooh, my hero!" she mocked dramatically.

"Here." He handed the guy a dollar bill, who handed him two darts in return.

Rory was mad at the guy, even though she really did miss the balloon fair and square, but Rory was Rory and she worked in strange ways. She looked at the guy's name tag, "I don't like you, Kevin." she said, and stuck her tongue out, then turned her attention back to Tristan.

Kevin looked a bit taken aback by her comment while Tristan just smirked at her childish ways. She was just too cute.

Twelve dollars, twenty hits and four misses later, Rory triumphantly held Pookey, or at least tried to since it was about three-quarters her size.

"Thanks Tris!" Rory said, giving him a hug, or half a hug considering there was a big stuffed animal between them.

"Welcome." he said, hugging her back.

Chelsea looked at Mike, Amber looked at Danny, and April looked at Josh.

"What?" the three guys said in unison.

"Why don't you ever win me anything?" Chelsea asked Mike.

He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out, and she looked at him expectantly.

"Yea, why don't you ever win me anything?" April asked Josh and they repeated the same actions as Chelsea and Mike.

"Danny?" Amber asked expectantly.

"Well ummm..." Danny started.

Charlie, Kelly, Tristan and Rory watched the couples in amusement.

"Damn you, Dugrey." Mike muttered, "Fine, let's go." and he pulled Chelsea away to a game booth, closely followed by Danny, Amber, Josh and April.

"Awww, aren't you just the perfect boyfriend?" Kelly teased Tristan.

He shot her a warning look while Rory just _pretended_ she didn't hear the comment.

_'That was pretty sweet of him. Still, it didn't mean anything, he was just being nice. He doesn't like me and I most definitely don't like him. We're just friends.'_

They watched the other couples; Danny missed the hoop at the basketball booth.

"Something tells me they're gunna be a while, why don't we walk around for a bit." Rory suggested.

"Yea." Tristan agreed.

Charlie and Kelly looked at each other hesitantly.

"Ummm, actually Charlie and I were just going to go, ahhh, over there-" Kelly said, pointing to a random place.

"Where?" Rory asked.

"Over there." she said, pointing to yet another random place.

"But you just pointed in the other direction."

"Oh. I did now did I? Well we're just going to go over there. To the place where I just- pointed."

"Ummmm o-kaaay. Well then we'll just come with you. To wherever you- pointed."

"NO!" Kelly and Charlie exclaimed.

Rory furrowed her brow while Tristan rolled his eyes knowingly.

"I mean- no. You two will just get bored. Yea, bored. You won't like it. We'll just meet you back here in..." Kelly paused and looked at Danny, who missed another hoop, "in about twenty minutes?"

"Uhhh, ok then. We'll see you in a little bit." Rory said, slightly confused, and walked off with Tristan.

"Kel, you suck at that." Charlie said.

"Shut up, at least it worked. What are we suppose to do now?"

"Aren't we suppose to go over _there_?" Charlie teased, pointing to a random place.

"I said shut up. Come on, you can win me a stuffed animal."

"Why?"

"Cause I don't wanna feel left out."

Charlie rolled his eyes but agreed nonetheless.

* * *

"First it was Danny and Amber, now it's Kelly and Charlie, what is up with them?" Rory asked.

"Uhhh, no clue. So, where to?" Tristan lied.

Rory giggled, "You made that rhyme."

Tristan grinned and shook his head, "Has anyone told you how much you're like your mom?"

"Yea, I kinda lost track after, I think it was 17... Hmmm, whatever, so I was thinking we go on- that ride!"

He groaned, "Haven't you already been on that, like, six times already?"

"Yea..." she pondered this for a moment, "still fun! Let's go." she said dragging him along.

"Where am I suppose to put Pookey?" Rory asked when they reached the ride.

"Just leave him here; we can get him after we're finished."

"K."

* * *

"Uh, are you ok? You look a little, pale, and, green, pale green." Tristan asked when they got off the ride.

"I knew I shouldn't have eaten that much. I don't feel so good." Rory groaned.

"Well that's what you get when you eat four orders of nachos, three hot dogs with cotton candy and an extra large coke."

Her response was another groan.

"Come on, let's get back to the others."

Rory nodded, he grabbed Pookey in one arm and put the other around her waist, while she leaned on him slightly.

"See, I told you, you shouldn't have eaten that much." Danny said when they got back. Amber, April, and Chelsea each held a giant stuffed animal in triumph, Kelly too.

"Yea, yea, I know." Rory said.

"That's why you should always listen to your older brother."

"By like, eight minutes!"

"Still older."

"Whatever."

"It's getting late, we should start to wrap it up." Tristan said.

The others agreed and headed towards the ferris wheel; they always ended the night with that ride.

"So I see Charlie decided to win you a stuffed animal too." Rory said to Kelly.

"Why of course, I couldn't be left feeling all left out now could I?"

"What happened to going... wherever you pointed?"

"Uhhhh, I pointed to one of the game booths."

"Really? I could've sworn you pointed to one of the rides, or, wherever."

"Nope, I wanted a stuffy."

"Then why didn't you just tell us where you were going?"

"Oh, I don't know... slipped my mind..."

Tristan and Charlie chuckled lightly, and Kelly heard a cough from Charlie that sounded a lot like 'You suck at this.' She shot him a warning look and then a guilty look to Tristan.

"What is with you guys?" Rory muttered.

Of course they all pretended not to hear her.

The teenagers got on, Tristan with Rory of course, surprise surprise.

"It's so pretty up here." Rory said when they reached the top; she was squished between Tristan and Pookey.

"Yea, it is." Tristan said. _'Just like you.'_

They smiled at each other. Rory noticed that he had a genuine smile on, something people rarely saw. She also noticed something different in his eyes, the way he looked at her, but she couldn't quite place what it was.

Tristan's eyes flickered down to her lips, then back again, the two stared at each other, their faces slowly inching their way foward.

Suddenly, the ride jerked, snapping them both back to attention. The rest of the ride was spent in silence, neither making eye contact, but both wondering what would have happened if they had not interrupted.

"I had fun today." Rory said when they got off.

He smiled again, "Yea, me too."

* * *

"Ooooooh, gimme!"

"No, mom! Pookey's mine!" Rory exclaimed as Lorelai tried to grab the stuffed animal.

Lorelai pouted, "But I wanna big stuffy."

"Well aren't you and Dad going to the carnival tomorrow?"

"What's your point?"

"Get dad to win you one then!"

"But I want one now."

"She just doesn't wanna give it up 'cause Tristan won it for her." Danny said, walking into the room.

"Bible Boy won it for you?!"

"Yea, so?" Rory said.

"Well why didn't you just say so at the beginning?"

"What difference would it make?"

"Daughter of mine, Mr. I-have-the-hots-for-you won it. Why would I take something so precious away from you?"

Rory rolled her eyes, "He does not have the hots for me, he only won it because he was being nice and he wanted to save it from the evil grasps of a five year old with cotton candy covered fingers."

"Yes he has the hots for you and he only won it because, well, he has the hots for you."

"Whatever , I'm going to bed now."

"Ha! So you do admit he likes you!"

"I never said that! I just know that you're not going to give up so why should I even bother trying?"

"I win! I win!"

"Goodnight Mother." Rory said as she went upstairs.

Lorelai smiled at Danny, "I'd give it a few weeks."

* * *

Rory lay awake in bed, holding Pookey tight. She thought about her mother's words, as well as everyone else's. He couldn't like her, he was Tristan 'The Player' Dugrey. Sure he had become a good friend, but if they ever went out, she was sure he would dump her in a week, then it would just complicate things. Of course he stilled flirted with all the girls, but she hadn't actually seen him making out with any of them at school, or going out for that matter, since for the last week he had been spending most of his time with her and Danny. Then there was that almost kiss, or what she thought was an almost kiss, but she didn't like him, he just wasn't her type, they were better off as friends, good friends.

Only time would tell...


	6. Chapter 6

**Everything**

**_Disclaimer: _**I don't own anything except the plot and the characters that you don't recognize from the show.

**_Summary_**: When Rory Hayden comes back to Chilton, she still sees Tristan Dugrey as her brother's annoying friend that won't seem to leave her alone. But when opinions change, friendships can form, and maybe, it could become something more.

**_Good to know_:** Rory went to school in England for a year, then comes back to Chilton for her senior year. She hangs out with her old friends. Lorelai and Christopher are married and they live in Hartford. Dean and Jess don't exist. She's not friends with Paris.

**_Rating_: **PG13

**_A/N_: **Like I said in the last chapter, I decided to skip a few weeks just to speed things up a bit, 'cause then they'd be much more comfortable around each other and it's easier to write like that, and since what's gunna happen in the next chapters wouldn't make much sense if it all happened just a week after she came back.

* * *

**Chapter 6**

* * *

It had been three weeks since that night at the carnival. Tristan and Rory grew closer by the minute, the two had become nearly inseparable, in and out of school, and this didn't go unnoticed by their friends. They were completely comfortable around each other now; they could even fall asleep together during a movie together and it wouldn't be weird when they woke up.

"Hey, Mare." Tristan said as stood by her locker.

"Oh, hey, did I leave my history book at your house last night?"

"Mmmm hmmm."

"Did you bring it?"

"Yea, here." he said, handing her the text book.

"Thanks."

"No problem. So, we still on for this weekend?"

"Yea, can't wait, Danny will pick you up around 5ish on Friday. I think Charlie's taking the other car."

"Great."

_'Briiiiiiiiing'_

"Yea, I'll see ya later." she said as she walked off towards class.

"Bye."

He watched her retreating figure before heading off to his own class. It was a long weekend and the group had decided to go to the Hayden's beach house. They went a couple years ago but it had rained pretty much the whole entire time, so it hadn't been the best. Of course, weather was always unpredictable, but this year it seemed pretty promising.

* * *

"Soooooooo?" April asked Tristan during math. None of the students were paying attention, they were all talking, and the young substitute teacher didn't really seem to care.

"What?" he replied.

"You excited about this weekend? How are things going with Rory?"

Tristan rolled his eyes, "You are so girly sometimes it's not even funny."

She gave him a look, "Well, that's because I am a girl."

"Really? And here I was thinking that you were just a guy having hormonal problems. Oh, and I knew there was something funny about you and Josh." he mocked.

She glared at him, "Shut up and answer my question."

He cleared his throat, "Yes I'm excited about this weekend and me and Rory are friends."

"_Just_ friends?"

"Well unless you've seen us making out or showing any other signs of affection towards each other then, yes, I'd say we are _just_ friends."

They were really starting to get on his nerves, the guys weren't as bad, but the girls were just plain pushy.

"Well you never know what's going on behind closed doors."

"Are you gunna stop talking any time soon?" he said, annoyed.

"No, and when are you gunna make your move?!"

"When and _if_ she likes me as more than a friend."

"Oh hun, she _already_ likes you as more than a friend. I'd say it started about fifteen and a half days ago."

He gave her a look.

"What?" she said innocently.

"I knew you guys were keepin' close tabs on us, but I didn't know you were counting the days! Do you have some kind of pool going on too?" he scowled.

"We have not been keeping tabs!"

"Oh yea, just like Danny and Amber didn't leave us alone at her grandparents' party, and Kelly and Charlie didn't push us away at the carnival, and we 'coincidently' ended up on every ride together there, and you and Josh didn't ditch us at the party last weekend, and Chelsea and Mike-"

"Ok, ok. I get it." she said holding her hands up in surrender, "We've been giving you guys a little push in the right direction, so what? A little help never hurt anybody. Besides, it's not like she ever noticed. I finally realize how blind she really is; the poor girl is clueless."

"Now what gave you that impression?" he said sarcastically.

"What is up with you today? Is there some kind of male pms that I don't know about?"

He glared at her, "I don't know, is there a term your parents would like to hear about for when you and Josh-"

"Shutting up now." she said in a sing-song voice.

"I swear he's worse than a woman going through menopause sometimes." April muttered under her breath when she turned around.

* * *

It was Friday. Danny, Amber, Tristan, Rory, and Kelly were in one car; while Charlie drove with the others in another. Christopher had been hesitant about letting ten teenagers stay at their beach house for a long weekend without any adult supervision, but Rory and Danny, with a little help from Lorelai, had finally managed to convince him that everything would be okay, and he reluctantly agreed.

"I'm hungry." Rory said, she sat in the backseat in between Tristan and Kelly while Amber sat up front with Danny, "Can we stop by a restaurant or something?"

"You just want coffee." Danny said.

"Well, that too, of course. But I really am hungry."

"You're always hungry."

"Uh huh. So can we stop by a restaurant or something?"

Danny sighed.

"Remember the last time I went through caffeine withdrawal?"

Everyone groaned.

"Restaurant it is." Danny said as pulled into the parking lot of a road side diner, closely followed by Charlie's car.

They entered the diner, and were immediately seated; the fact that the waitresses were eyeing the guys may have had something to do with it.

"Look! The sun!" Kelly chirped, pointing out the window.

"Yes, that's what people call that big round ball of fire." Tristan said.

She rolled her eyes, "I meant it's sunny."

"And that's what it tends to be when the sun's out."

"I meant it's not raining." she scowled.

"Really? And here I was thinking that water was pouring from the sky."

Rory hit him on the arm and Kelly glared at him.

"What can I get you today?" a waitress said flirtatiously to Danny.

"WELL, I think I'll have a chicken burger with a coke." Amber said sweetly.

"And I'll have a garden salad with Italian dressing on the side." April smiled.

"I think I'll have a hamburger with a sprite." Chelsea added.

"I'm gunna have a hamburger too, with a chocolate milkshake." Kelly said angelically.

Rory rolled her eyes at her friends, "And I'll have a cheeseburger with a coffee please."

The guys smirked and the waitress shot the girls a dirty look before taking the rest of the orders and heading back to the kitchen.

"Possessive much?" Danny grinned.

"What?" Amber said innocently, "I was merely giving her my order."

Fifteen minutes later, a different waitress came back with their orders.

"Anything else I can get you?" she asked Tristan coyly, lightly touching his arm.

At this Rory got this weird feeling. She didn't exactly know what it was. Could it be jealousy? No, of course not. Why would she be jealous? It wasn't as if she was his girlfriend, or if she liked him for that matter, well, she liked him as a friend, but not _like _like him. And he didn't _like_ like her either, even though she was constantly told otherwise by everyone.

"Uhhhh...no, I'm good." he shot a few desperate glances at his friends.

"Are you sure? _Anything_ at all?"

"He's fine. But maybe his _girlfriend_, Rory here, would like something?" Chelsea said a bit forcfully, giving Rory a look.

Rory scrunched up her forehead and raised an eyebrow, "Huh?" Then catching Tristan's desperate look, "Oooooh, right, ummm, no, I'm good thanks."

The others held back a grin while the waitress walked off in a huff.

"Thanks." Tristan said.

"Uhhh, your welcome?" Rory replied.

* * *

"Is tanning all you're gunna do this weekend?" Mike asked as he looked at the five girls sprawled out on the beach in their bikini's.

"Well I'm definitely not complaining, the view's pretty nice." Charlie smirked. His remark was met with nine deadly glares.

"Sorry." he mumbled.

"Tristan, Charlie and I are heading out for some food, you guys coming?" Danny asked.

"Does it involve stopping by a coffee shop?" Rory asked.

"If you're coming I don't think that gives us much of a choice."

"Ooooh, I'm coming then."

"Anyone else?"

"Uhhh, yea, I'm starting to feel a bit wheezy." Kelly said, indicating to Josh with April and Mike with Chelsea.

"K, let's go."

"What about me?" Amber said.

"Sorry, no room."

"But-"

"Just close your eyes and continue tanning, you'll see nothing."

Amber sighed, "Fine. But hurry."

* * *

"Ror, really, we have more than enough." Tristan said as he watched her pile more and more food into her shopping basket.

"Are you kidding? Have you seen the way you guys eat? Have you seen the way _I_ eat?" Rory said, grabbing two bags of cheetos.

"She does have a point." Danny said.

"She is half Gilmore." Charlie added.

"Hey Kel, could you grab a bag of the marshmallows behind you?" Rory said, "No, make it two bags, wait, three. Yea, three."

"How do you manage to eat so much and still look like a stick?" Kelly asked, handing her the bags.

Rory shrugged before continuing.

"Yea, that's definitley enough." Tristan said as he steered her out of the icecream section, "We already have eight buckets of icecream."

"But-"

"We can always come back if we run out."

"But-"

"I'm gunna get some fruit. You know, it's _healthy_." he said as he started for the produce section.

"Healthy food? Who needs healthy food?"

"Everyone."

"Nuh uh!"

"Rory,"

"Fine." Rory huffed.

She started heading towards the candy section (again), while struggling to keep a pack of frozen pizza in her basket, when she ran smack dab into somebody, dropping her basket to the ground.

The other's whirled around at the noise.

"Omigod, I'm so sor-" Rory began as she looked up at the stranger she had walked into, only to realize, he was very much not a stranger. Her jaw dropped slightly and she stared at the man.

Kelly gasped while Danny, Charlie, and Tristan were instantly by Rory's side, clenching their fists causing their knuckles to turn white, and glaring coldly at the man she had bumped into.

"Uhhhh, hey Ror." he said nervously.


	7. Chapter 7

**Everything**

_**Disclaimer:**_ I don't own anything except the plot and the characters that you don't recognize from the show.

**_Summary_**: When Rory Hayden comes back to Chilton, she still sees Tristan Dugrey as her brother's annoying friend that won't seem to leave her alone. But when opinions change, friendships can form, and maybe it could become something more.

**_Good to know_:** Rory went to school in England for a year, then comes back to Chilton for her senior year. She hangs out with her old friends. Lorelai and Christopher are married and they live in Hartford. Dean and Jess don't exist; she's not friends with Paris.

**_Rating_: **PG13

* * *

**Chapter 7 **

* * *

"Uhhhh, hey Ror." he said nervously.

Nick.

What was he doing here? After he moved to Chicago she never thought she'd see him again. She never _wanted_ to see him again. Ever. And now all of a sudden he's standing right in front of her at the market, with the same spikey dark hair and broad figure. (a/n: For those who forgot, Nick's her ex-boyfriend, the details were in chapter four)

Rory rubbed the back of her neck and turned around, "Ummmm, I'm gunna wait for you guys in the car." she said, and ran out the store, with Tristan and Kelly hot on her heels.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Danny demanded.

"Shopping." Nick replied.

Danny glared at him, "I meant why are you back in Connecticut?"

"That's none of your damn business."

"What are you doing here?" he demanded again.

"Well if you insist on knowing I came for a visit, possibly even a long visit, a very long visit."

"Stay the hell away from her."

"Look, I already told you, it was a shame that she had to walk in on me like that, but she asked for it! We'd gone out for a year and she wasn't giving me any. She's such a freakin' Mary."

"I don't know what the hell your problem is, but you go anywhere near my sister and you'll regret it."

"And what are you gunna do? Beat the crap out of me again? I recall the last time you did that it didn't end too well."

It was in the Chilton courtyard, the very next day after Rory had told him what happened. Danny walked right up to him and threw a punch, and the two fought endlessly until the students and teachers finally managed to pull them away from each other. Needless to say they were both suspended, and let's not get started with the reaction that got out of the Christopher and the grandparents.

Sensing where this was going, Charlie quickly interjected, "Danny, come on, let's just pay for the food and get going."

Danny grunted but bent down to pick up the food from Rory's basket nonetheless, Charlie did the same.

_'So.' _Nick thought as he walked off, _'I remember they have that beach house near here somewhere. Huh. Interesting...'_

"Rory? You ok?" Tristan asked as he climbed into the back seat with her.

She nodded. "What is he doing here?" Rory said quietly.

"I don't know, but I'm sure Danny'll take care of it." Kelly said, sitting beside her.

"What's that suppose to mean? He's not- not again."

"I think he knows better this time." Tristan said.

"I hate him."

"I know. Me too. We all do." he said, pulling her into a comforting embrace.

Rory lightly smiled, "You made that rhyme." she said, her voice muffled in his chest.

Tristan grinned and shook his head.

_'They make such a cute couple.'_ Kelly thought, "Ummm, I'm gunna go check on Danny and Charlie." she said; Tristan nodded to her as she got out of the car.

The two sat in silence for a moment.

"Y-you're over him, right?" he asked as he rested his chin on top of her head.

"I was over him ages ago."

"Good, 'cause he's not worth it."

"I know. I just- ugh."

"Don't let him get to you."

"I know, but-"

"Hey guys." Charlie said, getting into the car.

"Oh, hi." Rory said, sitting up. Both Tristan and Rory felt disappointed at the lost of contact, but neither showed it.

"Hey, you ok?" Danny asked.

"Mmm hmm."

"You know if that bastard ever comes and bother's you just let me know."

"Why would he come and bother me?"

Danny hesitated before answering, "He said something about a very long visit. I'm not sure what he meant by that."

Rory didn't say anything.

"Rory?"

"Huh? Yea, I will."

What did Nick mean by a very long visit? He wasn't coming back, was he? She hoped not. Everything was going so well for her, she didn't want him ruining anything.

* * *

"I can not believe this." Tristan mumbled as he put the tray in the oven.

Rory giggled, she wanted to have fun this weekend, and her encounter with Nick at the market today wasn't going to get in the way of that, so she pushed any thoughts of him to the back of her mind; whatever he meant by a very long visit would just have to wait.

"Hey," she said, "we won fair and square. But really, how you guys couldn't tell the difference between a fiddler crab and a pelagic crab is beyond me. I mean, they're completely different colors for starters, plus the shape and everything is totally different. I learned that in second grade!"

They stared at her.

"Ummm, yea." Chelsea said nodding her head, "I mean, come on, fiddler and pollyjok? Everyone knows that!"

"Pelagic, not pollyjok." Rory corrected.

"Right, I knew that."

Mike rolled his eyes, "The only reason you guys won was because of Rory."

"So?! You're just grumpy 'cause you lost. Personally, I think five guys cooking is quite... I don't know, what's the word..."

"Cute?" Amber offered.

"Yea. Very cute."

"I could definitely get use to this." Kelly said.

"Well it ain't ever happenin' again." Charlie said.

"It's frozen pizza and hamburger helper." Rory stated.

"Oh, ruin the fun why don't you." April said.

"Sorry. Anyways, we're gunna watch the movie now, you guys can bring us the food when it's ready." Rory said as she walked into the living room.

"Well it's not gunna be ready for a while so we'll just come with you." Tristan said.

"No! Of course not! We wouldn't want the food to burn, now would we? Nope, I guess you're just gunna have to sit around and watch the rising crust pizza...well, rise."

He glared at her, "I'm am so gunna get you for this."

"Have fun." she said in a sing-song voice as the girls disappeared into the living room.

* * *

"Do you smell something?" Amber asked, sniffing.

"It's coming from the kitchen." Chelsea said.

"Wow. They really can't cook anything, can they?" April said.

The guys stared at a large black frisbee that lay on the counter, when the girls entered the kitchen, they looked up at them sheepishly.

Rory sighed, "I'll go order the pizza."

* * *

"That is the last time we're letting you guys pick the movie." Josh said as the credits for _Breakfast at Tiffany's_ rolled down the screen.

"Oh come on, that's the best movie ever, well, besides _Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory_." Rory said, putting her bowl of popcorn on the coffee table.

"But you always choose chick flicks." Tristan said.

"I'd hardly call _Willy Wonka_ a chick flick."

"I meant _Breakfast at Tiffany's,_ but as for _Willy Wonka_, right, sorry, a childrens movie then." he said sarcastically.

Rory rolled her eyes, "It's a movie for all ages, plus the oompa loompas are the funniest little things."

"They're scary."

"Man, never diss those guys in front of her or my mom." Danny said.

"Right, I forgot."

April yawned, "Anyways, I'm tired, I think I'm gunna go to bed."

They all agreed. Danny and Amber went to his room, Rory went to her parent's bedroom, Kelly went to Rory's room, Chelsea and Mike took one of the guestrooms while Josh and April took the other, and Tristan and Charlie camped out in the living room.

* * *

Rory looked at the clock on the bedside table. 2:47. She covered her ears with her pillow and groaned; with the noise coming from one of the neighboring rental beach houses, there was no way anyone could sleep.

------

The clock on the mantel read 2:49. There was definitely a party going on outside. Tristan looked over at Charlie who was sound asleep on the other couch. How the hell could he sleep through all the noise? Then he heard someone shuffling around in the kitchen. _'At least there's one person who can't sleep.'_

He got off the couch and went into the kitchen.

"Rory?"

Rory turned around when she heard her name and saw Tristan standing in the doorway of the kitchen, clad in boxers and a wifebeater that clung to his muscular frame.

_'Wow, he's pretty hot. Wait- what did I just think? No, no he's not hot. He's Tristan, your friend Tristan........ Ok, only an idiot wouldn't be able to tell he has the body of a Greek god... I wonder what-'_

Tristan noticed her checking him out and smirked, "Like what you see?"

Rory was wearing light yellow pajama bottoms with sheep and a small white tank top.

"Huh?"

"You were totally checking me out."

She blushed, "No I wasn't."

He shook his head, "Denial."

"I have no idea what your talking about." she said before turning her attention back to the coffee machine.

"So I'm guessing you couldn't sleep either?" he said walking up to her.

"Sleep? How could anyone sleep through that noise?!"

"Apparently a lot of people."

"Not me." Danny said, walking into the kitchen.

"Couldn't sleep either?"

"Nope."

"Here, have some coffee." Rory said, handing them each a mug.

"Oh yes, I can't sleep so I have coffee. Makes a whole lotta sense." Tristan said.

"Yea, well you expect to be getting any sleep at all tonight?"

Cheers errupted from outside and Rory gave them a pointed look before pouring herself another mug.

"Can't we just go and tell them to be quiet?" she whined.

"Yea, three neighbors and what, fifty to a hundred drunks? Hmmmmm, how about... no." Danny said

"Oh, come on, it's worth a shot."

"No." Tristan said.

"Pleeeeease." she pleaded, giving them a sad puppy face.

* * *

"That face is evil I tell you." Danny muttered as they made their way across the beach.

"They're probably drunken college kids who aren't gunna give a damn what their neighbors think." Tristan said.

They stood in front the door.

"Aren't you gunna ring the doorbell?" Rory asked.

"Something tells me they're not gunna hear it." Danny said.

"Well, somebody's bound to come out and puke soon." Tristan said.

"So are we just suppose to stand and wait like idiots?" Rory asked.

"Something like that, yea."

"Well that's jus-"

The door swung open.

"I told you so." Tristan said.

Rory stuck out her tongue.

"I'm always right."

"Not always."

"Well pretty much most of the time."

"Nuh uh."

"Ya huh."

"Nuh uh."

"Ya huh."

"Guys!" Danny cried.

They looked at him, "Yea?" they replied in unison.

"Did someone forget to tell me that we decided to go back to kindergarten?"

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" a voice said.

They looked up and their amused faces instantly turned cold, Tristan's arm immediatly went around Rory's waist protectivley.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Danny demanded.

"I should be asking you the same thing." Nick replied.

"What are you doing here?!"

"I rented a beach house, I thought that was pretty obvious."

"Oh, and it just _happened_ to be right next to ours."

"It's a small world."

"You knew we were here."

"No actually, I didn't."

"You've been to our beach house, what, five, six times? You expect me to believe you didn't remember? That's bull."

Nick was about to say something, but Tristan beat him to it, "Danny, we're going, come on."

"Well if it isn't Tristan Dugrey." Nick said.

He ignored him, "Danny, let's go." he said, beginning to walk away.

"You'd expect that on a nice Friday night like this you'd be off screwing some girl instead of hanging out at a beach house."

Tristan stopped and turned around, "What'd you just say?"

"Tristan," Rory pleaded softly, tugging on his arm.

Then as if noticing Rory for the first time, Nick said, "So you finally got Rory, huh? I always knew you had a thing for her."

"We're not together."

Rory saw Tristan's jaw tense and pleaded again, firmer this time, "Tristan,"

"But you might as well dump her now, yea she's hot as hell, but you're not gunna get any, I waited for a year and she still-"

_'Smack'_

"Go to hell, Nick." Rory said coldy.

"Why you little bitch-" he raised his hand but Tristan caught his wrist before it could hit her, and Danny proceeded to punch him.

"I told you to stay the hell away from her." Danny said, then he turned towards Rory, who was in Tristan's embrace, "Come on, let's go." and the three headed back towards the Hayden beach house.

* * *

**_A/N_:** Ok, so I'm having trouble deciding, is it _Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory_ or _Charlie and the Chocolate Factory_. I'm reading all these stories that say it's _Willy Wonka_ but I could have sworn the movie and book is _Charlie_. Anywho, I don't know, I'm confused... please help me unconfuse myself, lol. PLEASE REVIEW!!! -Jax


	8. Chapter 8

**Everything**

_**Disclaimer:**_ I don't own anything except the plot and the characters that you don't recognize from the show.

**_Summary_**: When Rory Hayden comes back to Chilton, she still sees Tristan Dugrey as her brother's annoying friend that won't seem to leave her alone. But when opinions change, friendships can form, and maybe, it could become something more.

**_Good to know_:** Rory went to school in England for a year, then comes back to Chilton for her senior year. She hangs out with her old friends. Lorelai and Christopher are married and they live in Hartford. Dean and Jess don't exist; she's not friends with Paris.

**_Rating_: **PG13

* * *

**Chapter 8**

* * *

"Where were you?!" Amber exclaimed when they entered the beach house, "I wake up at three o'clock in the morning, you're not there, Tristan's not on the couch, I check to see if Rory's there; she's not. Where the hell have you been?!"

Charlie, Kelly, Mike, Chelsea, Josh and April were sitting at the kitchen counter with there heads propped up with their hands; no doubt woken up by Amber.

"We couldn't sleep. The neighbors were too loud." Danny replied simply.

"So where'd you go?"

"To the neighbors."

"To what?"

"To ask them to be quiet."

"Well they aren't being quiet."

"I know."

Amber looked at the three of them, "Is something wrong?"

"No."

"What happened?" Amber asked.

"Nothing."

"Danny, come on, I'm not stupid, I know something happened."

"I never said you were stupid and nothing happened!"

Now they had Charlie, Kelly, Mike, Chelsea, Josh, and April's attention, although they were still very sleepy.

"Danny!"

"Sorry." he mumbled.

She sighed and looked over at Rory, who was leaning against Tristan with her head on his shoulder, giving them an expectant look.

"Nick." Rory mumbled.

"What?"

Rory sighed, "Nick was there." she said a little bit louder.

"Nick?"

Silence.

"As in cheating bastard Nick?" Amber asked.

"Yea... cheating bastard Nick."

"W-what-" Amber stopped when she saw Danny and Tristan giving her a drop-it-and-I'll-tell-you-later look, "Well, ummmmm, okay, I-I guess we should go back to bed then."

The teenagers silently agreed and went upstairs.

"Come on." Tristan said, nudging Rory, she was perfectly capable of going to bed herself but she grabbed his hand anyways, pulling him upstairs.

She went inside her parents' room and climbed into bed. Tristan kissed her on her forehead.

"You okay?" he asked softly.

She nodded.

He turned around to leave when he felt her grab his hand.

"Tris, can you stay with me?" She asked quietly, "Just until I fall asleep?"

"You sure?"

"Yea."

She scooted over to make room for him and he climbed in next to her. Her head lay on his chest and he wrapped his arms around her.

"Remember Ror, don't let him get to you."

"I won't."

They were silent for a moment.

"Tris?"

"Yea?"

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"For being there."

"Your welcome." he paused before adding, "You know I'll always be there for you."

"I know." she whispered before drifting off into a light slumber.

When he was sure she was asleep, he carefully detangled himself and started to get off the bed.

"Don't go." she mumbled; she wasn't exactly a deep sleeper.

"Rory,"

"Please Tristan."

He sighed, knowing how persistent she could be, even when she was half asleep, he got back in, and she snuggled into him, falling back to sleep.

He stared at her sleeping form, she looked so peaceful and innocent. Damn Nick for hurting her. Tristan knew he would never hurt her, he'd kill himself if he did. Then he recalled April's words from a few days ago, _'Oh hun, she_ already _likes you as more than a friend. I'd say it started about fifteen and a half days ago.'_

Yes, the five girls knew each other better than anyone, so what they said about each other was pretty much always true. Usually he would know better than to keep his hopes up, but when in came to Rory there was no controlling how he felt, and after what April had said... his hopes had soared sky high.

* * *

Rory sat at the kitchen counter with everyone else the next morning, sipping her coffee. She hadn't had a nice sleep like that for ages, even if it was just for a few hours. It was almost good enough to make her forget about Nick, keyword, almost. She didn't care what he thought. Really. But the fear of relationships- that she thought she had gotten over -had resurfaced; it may not have actually occurred to her, but seeing him had made her go on red alert in terms of relationships wise.

Amber, Chelsea, Kelly, and April were twitching in their seats with anticipation, while a part of them felt a genuine concern towards Rory for what had happened with Nick (they had been given a quick recap by Danny earlier that morning), a bigger part of them wanted to know what had happened with Tristan last night.

As for the guys, the big brother side of them had taken over and they wanted nothing more than to just go next door and beat the crap out of Nick, but they knew better, so they sat there expressionless, giving Rory a concerned glance and Tristan a curious one every now and then.

Tristan braced himself for the questions that would be shot at him once Rory left the room, he knew there was no avoiding them so it was just better to get it over with, especially after the looks he and Rory got this morning when they came out of the same room.

"So..." Charlie began, interrupting the silence, "What are we doing today?"

"I don't know, we could just hangout at the beach and maybe walk around town later." Danny said.

"Suits me." April said.

"Ummm, I'm gunna go change then." Rory said, gulping down the rest of her coffee before leaving the kitchen.

When they heard the door close upstairs, the girls wasted no time.

"So what happened?" Kelly asked Tristan.

"What do you mean what happened?" Tristan said.

"Last night..." Chelsea said.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh don't give me that, you know exactly what I'm talking about."

"I do now, do I?"

"Yes." they replied in unison.

The guys just watched in amusement, pretending they weren't really interested, but really, they were dieing to know what happened.

"Huh."

"Tristan," April pleaded.

"April," Tristan mimicked.

"Ok, if you don't tell us what happened we're just gunna jump to conclusions." Amber said and the others nodded their heads in agreement.

Tristan sighed, "Nothing. We just slept."

"What do you mean you slept?" Kelly asked.

"You know, you close your eyes and fall asleep. You kinda have to do it to stay alive..."

Chelsea rolled her eyes, "What else?" she asked impatiently.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing."

"Seriously?"

"Yes!"

"Not even a little bit?"

"No! Look, it'll happen when it happens. _If_ it happens that is. I know you mean well, but you gotta get off my back. Trust me, I know what to do." Tristan said, growing more annoyed by the second.

"You do?" Amber asked.

"Yes." _'Ha ha. Yea right.'_

"Really?"

He glared at her.

"Fine." Amber said dramatically, "We'll leave you alone."

"Thank you. I'm gunna go change and then we can head out or whatever." And with that Tristan went upstairs.

After a few moments in silence, Josh asked, "He has no idea what to do, does he?"

"Not a clue." April said.

More silence.

"You're not gunna leave him alone, are you?" Charlie asked.

The girls snorted, "No." they replied in unison.

* * *

Amber, Kelly, April, and Chelsea smiled at Rory.

"What? Rory asked.

"You are so checking him out." Kelly said, referring to Tristan who was playing volleyball with the rest of the guys.

"What?! Checking who out?" But Rory's blush revealed to everyone that she was in fact checking him out.

"You know who."

Rory shook her head.

"Ror, it's okay, I'd be checking him out too if Josh wasn't here." April said.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Funny," Chelsea said, "Tristan said the exact same thing this morning."

"Tristan? What does Tristan have to do with anything?"

"She's playing it dumb." Amber said to the others, who nodded their heads in agreement.

"I am not."

"Ror,"

"Yea?"

"It's okay to admit he's an absolute hottie –don't tell Danny I said that by the way- we won't tell."

"I- shut up."

"Don't worry, it'll be out little secret." Amber whispered loudly.

Rory glared at her.

"So, ummmm, how are things going with you two anyways?" Amber asked, attempting to make it sound like a casual comment but failed miserably.

"Don't start." Rory stated simply.

"What?" Amber asked innocently.

"Don't start on that he likes you and you like him thing again. I've heard it enough times."

"Well clearly the message hasn't gotten through that thick head of yours."

"I don't have a thick head."

They raised their eyebrows.

"Will you give it up?"

Amber sighed, "You just don't get it do you?"

"Get what?"

Amber turned towards the three other girls, waving her hands in the air, she said to them, "She's as blind as a-a-"

"Blind as a Rory?" Kelly suggested nodding her head; her response was met with four strange looks.

"What?" Kelly asked.

Amber frowned, "Well, ummmm, I was gunna say as blind as a bat, but as blind as a Rory works too... I guess."

"I don't like him and he doesn't like me! Why can't you guys just understand that?! We're just friends." Rory scowled.

"Oh puh-lease," Amber said with a flick of her hand, "I know a crush when I see one, and that guy has got it _bad_." Amber said

"Amber,"

"I'm serious! We all see it. Your parents see it. The whole Chilton population sees it. Hell, even a stranger on the street would see it!"

"Give...it...up."

"So you don't deny that he likes you?"

"Yes! I mean, no! I mean, yes, I do deny it because he does _not_ like me! Jeez! How many times do I have to tell you that?!"

"I don't know, how many times do we have to tell you he has the hots for you? And so do you."

"I have the hots for me?"

They gave her a you-know-what-I-mean look.

"Look, I know how I feel. And I think he's a great friend, but I can't see us as anything more so just _please_ leave it." Rory pleaded.

"You are so damn stubborn."

"Who's stubborn?" Tristan asked as the guys came up to them.

"Rory." Chelsea said.

"Am not!"

"Are to!"

"Am not!"

"Are to!"

"Am-"

"Okay, let's just pretend I never asked." Tristan said.

"I'm not stubborn, am I?" Rory asked Tristan.

"Uhhhhh...n-" he saw the looks he was receiving from the girls, "I mean, ye-" then looked back at Rory's cute little face; he looked back and forth between them, not knowing what to say, before Rory frowned and pouted slightly, "No, not at all." He lied.

Rory gave them a triumphant look, "See?"

They rolled their eyes.

Amber put her face in her hands and groaned, "This is gunna take _forever_."

The only person who didn't hear her was Rory due to the fact that she had already turned her full attention back to her book.

* * *

"Rory, it's a chair." Tristan said as the two stared at the display through the window.

"No, it's a giant coconut."

"It's a chair. You can sit on it."

"So? You could sit on a giant coconut."

"It's still a chair."

"More like a coconut."

"Guys, it's a chair that's meant to look like a coconut; a coconut chair." Danny said.

Tristan and Rory stared at the object for a moment.

"I still think it's a giant coconut." Rory said before the girls dragged her down the street to another shop.

"She's so stubborn. It's obviously a chair." Tristan said.

"I thought you told her she wasn't stubborn." Danny smirked.

"I-" Tristan paused, thinking of something to say, "Did you see the way she was looking at me?" he defended.

The guys shook their heads in mock disappointment.

"Come on, I wanna stop Chelsea before she maxes out my credit card." Mike said, walking away.

"Don't worry," Danny said, patting Tristan's back with an almost sympathetic look on his face, "She'll come around."

'_Hopefully.'_

* * *

**_A/N:_**Thanks for clearing me up on the Willa Wonka and Charlie thing; it's kinda weird how the re-make is different from the original movie which is different from the book, but now I'm unconfused, kind of, lol.


	9. Chapter 9

**Everything**

**_Disclaimer:_** I don't own anything except the plot and the characters that you don't recognize from the show.

**_Summary_**: When Rory Hayden comes back to Chilton, she still sees Tristan Dugrey as her brother's annoying friend that won't seem to leave her alone. But when opinions change, friendships can form, and maybe, it could become something more.

**_Good to know_:** Rory went to school in England for a year, then comes back to Chilton for her senior year. She hangs out with her old friends. Lorelai and Christopher are married and they live in Hartford. Dean and Jess don't exist; she's not friends with Paris.

**_Rating_: **PG13

* * *

**Chapter 9**

* * *

That night, the teenagers were on the beach. Rory looked around the campfire at her friends. They all seemed so happy. Together. Amber was snuggled up with Danny, and Chelsea with Mike, and April was sitting on Josh's lap. Tristan had his arms around her –in a strictly friendly kind of way she might add- Rory smiled as she saw Kelly and Charlie sneaking glances at each other. They obviously had a thing for each other, but neither would admit it. Some people could just be so blind...

* * *

"When are we leaving?" Rory asked Danny groggily as she staggered into the kitchen the next morning.

He shrugged, "Probably after lunch; it's a few hours drive back, plus and I haven't done my homework."

"Big shocker." she said sarcastically, "I need coffee."

"What else is new?" he said, handing her a mug which she greedily accepted.

"Shut up you."

Rory went over to the fridge and opened the freezer door, pulling out a carton of cookie dough ice cream, before digging in with a spoon.

Her friends stared at her.

"What?" she asked with a mouthful of ice cream.

"Ror, it's nine o'clock in the morning and you're eating _ice cream_?" Kelly asked.

"Yea, so?" she responded as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Her mother is Lorelai so she is half Gilmore." Tristan reminded, giving them a pointed look.

They murmured sounds of agreement and understanding.

"So, we have what, four or five hours before we leave? What are we suppose to do 'til then?"

Tristan smirked, "I could think of a few things."

"Yea, so could I... I think they're somewhere along the lines of hurt... Tristan... and ummmmm... oh yea... bad."

"Really? I had some other things in mind."

"Oh? I what might those things be?"

Tristan's eyes darted to Danny, who raised his eyebrows at him and crossed his arms over his chest, this was definitely not something that he should be saying in front of him, he was her brother after all; he looked back at Rory, who had an amused look on her face.

He scratched his head and made a face, "Oh, you know... stuff."

"Stuff involving..."

"Ummmm..." he looked at Danny again, who now, along with the rest of the group, was looking at him in amusement.

Rory gave him a teasing expectant look.

He cleared his throat and looked out the window, "Wow, it's a nice day outside isn't it?"

Rory smirked.

"Hey!" Tristan exclaimed.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"That's my smirk!"

"You own a smirk?"

He stared blankly at her for a moment, "Mmm hmm." he said, nodding his head.

She rolled her eyes, "Well I learn from the best."

"So you think I'm the best?" he said, his trademark smirk plastered back on his face.

"Ego check, Mr. Dugrey."

The two continued with they're playful banter and flirting (the latter denied by Rory of course), their audience long forgotten.

* * *

"Is it just me or have they been abandoning us _a lot_ lately?" Rory asked Tristan as she watched Mike and Chelsea's retreating figures.

He just shrugged, it'd been four weeks since their friends had started pushing them together; he was use to it by now. Rory on the hand, well, it usually took her a while to catch onto certain things...

They sat down on the sand with their backs leaning against a log.

"So what do you wanna do?" she asked, then seeing Tristan's face and remembering that morning, she said, "Wait- don't answer that."

"What? Why?"

She raised her eyebrows.

Tristan smirked, "Were you thinking of something dirty, Mary?"

"I wasn't but you were."

"And how do you figure that?"

"'Cause your mind lives in the gutter."

"Well then, why don't you come for a visit?"

"I'm just fine and dandy where I am thank you."

"Fine and dandy?"

"Shut up."

Tristan let out a chuckle, "Ok then... let's talk... about... books?"

"Yea, but I'm not really in the mood to have a one sided conversation."

"How would it be a one sided conversation?"

"Well, considering you don't read..."

"I read!"

Rory snorted, "Yea right."

"I do!"

"Oh, you do now do you?"

"Mmm hmm."

"Ok then, what do you read?"

Tristan stared at her for a moment, "Books."

"What kind of books?" asked an amused Rory.

"Good... books."

"Really now?"

He nodded his head, "Yup."

"And what would these 'good books' be about?"

He continued nodding his head, "S-stuff."

"What kind of stuff?"

Still nodding slowly he stared blankly at her teasing yet innocent face.

"You don't read do you?" Rory said finally.

He shook his head, "Nope."

Rory laughed, "Ok then, no books, we could talk about... sports?"

"You hate sports." he chuckled.

"Maybe... a little... bit."

"Ror,"

"Hmmm?" she asked, smiling.

It was his turn to give an amused look.

"Ok fine, I hate them with ever fiber of my body."

Tristan just smiled and shook his head. He was use to girls hating sports, frankly it actually annoyed him a bit that they were so... girly, but Rory... Rory just made it cute, she made everything nice. There was just something about her that always made him smile.

Rory noticed him staring at her.

"What?" she asked, smiling, something she found herself doing a lot when she was around him.

He smiled, "Nothing."

And they just sat there... smiling.

------

"You think their cheeks hurt from smiling so much?" Charlie asked as the eight teenagers peered outside at the pair from the beach house window.

"You'd think so." Kelly said.

"We shouldn't be spying, you guys really gotta learn not to get so involved in these things." Danny said.

"Says the guy who's watching them like a hawk." Amber said.

"I am not."

"Danny, she's your sister, you're protective of her, even though the guy is _Tristan_, you know, your _best friend_, whom you _completely_ _trust_, and wouldn't even _dream_ of hurting Rory?"

He rolled his eyes but remained silent as they continued to watch the two.

"How the hell can they smile so damn much?" he finally said.

"Beats me." Josh said with a shrug.

* * *

"That was fun." Amber said as Danny started up the engine.

"So what are you doing tonight?" Tristan asked Rory.

"I dunno. Danny's doing his homework, not that he's procrastinating or anything, right Danny?" Rory asked, his response was a grunt, "So he's not gunna be able to entertain me, mom and dad are going out tonight... so I guess that leaves me... bored."

"How exciting."

She yawned, "I know."

"Oh, I know!" she said.

"What?"

"You could come over and entertain me."

"Entertain you? How?"

"Yea, you could dress up as a clown... no, wait- clowns scare me, an oopma loompa, yea, you could dress up as one of those and parade around the house while I laugh at you."

He stared at her, "How 'bout I just bring some movies."

"Yea, that works too." she said, then she turned to Kelly and Amber, "You guys wanna come?"

"No!" came their immediate response. Tristan held back the urge to roll his eyes.

"Ummm, ok then." Rory said.

The five teenagers lapsed into silence.

"Soooooo..." Amber finally said.

"Shhhhh." Kelly whispered.

Amber turned around and looked at Kelly questioningly, then she saw Tristan and Rory asleep, her head lay on his chest while his chin rested on top of her head, a small smile played on both their lips.

'_Maybe it won't take forever, she can't really be that blind_, Amber thought, _'I mean, by the looks of it, it's only a matter of time, right?'_


	10. Chapter 10

**Everything**

**_Disclaimer: _**I don't own anything except the plot and the characters that you don't recognize from the show.

**_Summary_**: When Rory Hayden comes back to Chilton, she still sees Tristan Dugrey as her brother's annoying friend that won't seem to leave her alone. But when opinions change, friendships can form, and maybe, it could become something more.

**_Good to know_:** Rory went to school in England for a year, then comes back to Chilton for her senior year. She hangs out with her old friends. Lorelai and Christopher are married and they live in Hartford. Dean and Jess don't exist; she's not friends with Paris.

**_Rating_: **PG13

* * *

**Chapter 10**

* * *

"What happened to no chick flicks?" Rory teased, looking at the selection of movies that he had brought over.

"Well I didn't think you'd like action or anything like that." he replied.

"Yea, that, or maybe you're just trying to get in touch with your feminine side."

"I don't have a feminine side."

"Everyone has a feminine side."

"Not me."

"Oh yea, that just explains why you got _Legally Blonde_, _Pretty Woman_, _The Wedding Planner_-"

"I already told you, I thought you'd like those better than some action packed movie."

"Whatever."

He glared at her playfully before they settled on the couch, just before the movie started, Rory let out a small giggle, "Whoever would've that Tristan Dugrey would have had a feminine side."

* * *

"Okay, now I regret bring these movies." Tristan said as the credits for _Legally Blonde_ rolled down the screen.

"Hey, that was a good movie. I love Bruiser." Rory said, getting up to put the next movie in.

"He was kinda cute with those little outfits." Tristan admitted.

Rory's head whipped around to find a horror stricken Tristan. She smiled widely.

"Am I ever going to be able to live that one down?" he asked hopefully, although he already knew the answer.

Her smiled broadened even more and she got a mischievous glint in her eyes, "Not a chance." She said as the movie started and she resumed her previous position next to Tristan.

"Not even a little?" he asked.

She lifted her head from his chest to look at him, she was about to give a teasing comment, but was caught off guard by the look in his eyes. She didn't quite know what it was; it wasn't something she had seen before. He smile faltered slightly.

"Nope."

The lightness of the mood had suddenly become more serious.

"Bummer."

Maybe it was because of the way he was looking at her, but she was drawn to him. Their faces slowly started inching towards each other.

"Yea."

Closer.

"It's a shame, really." she said.

"Uh huh."

Closer.

"What about my other chances?" he asked softly.

Closer.

"What other chances?"

Their lips were just millimeters apart and Rory licked her lips subconsciously.

"These chances." he whispered; and with a swift movement he closed the remaining gap between them with a kiss.

It wasn't passionate, but soft and gentle; as if it were something fragile they were afraid to break.

They slowly pulled away, and she leaned her forward against his.

"I'd say they're pretty good." she whispered.

* * *

Tristan and Rory were on the front porch later that night, much later.

"So, ahhhhh, I'll see you tomorrow?" he asked.

She nodded, "Yea."

"Great."

She smiled, almost shyly, at him.

Tristan moved forwards and cupped her face with his hands, he moved his head down to kiss her and she met him halfway with a sweet kiss.

"Good night, Rory."

"Night, Tristan."

Rory watched him go down the stairs and get in his car. She turned around when she saw him drive away, and entered the house.

She leaned against the closed front door and let out a dreamy sigh.

She had just kissed Tristan Dugrey, several times she might add. If it weren't for the way he had made her forget all logical thought, she would probably be freaking out right about now. But since she couldn't exactly think straight, it would just have to wait until tomorrow.

­------

Tristan was whistling as he entered his house. He had just kissed Rory Hayden. She had even told him his chances were pretty good. She may not have completely understood what he meant by chances, but she still said it. He just hoped she wouldn't change her mind.

* * *

Rory looked at her alarm clock. 5:30AM. She would have to get up in half an hour. Half an hour. Plenty of time to think about Tristan, right? Right. She gave herself a quick recap of the previous night's events.

He had come over with some movies. She teased him. He asked her about his chances. He kissed her. They shared some more sweet kisses. And some... not so sweet kisses: kisses that made her feel like she was on fire. Then after a while he said he should get going and he kissed her good night before leaving.

It was nice. Really nice. Except, where did this leave them?

Then she made a single mistake. A single, but big mistake. She let her brain talk. She let herself think.

_Omigod, I kissed Tristan Dugrey_.

Okay, no. This was bad. Really bad. She didn't kiss guys like Tristan. Tristan didn't kiss girls like her. Except for the fact that... they did kiss, but that was so not the point. Okay, maybe it was, but-

She groaned in frustration. This was not how things were suppose to be. They were suppose to be friends. They were friends. But friends didn't go around kissing each other like that. They were still friends though... or not. He was a good guy. Really. But he wasn't exactly the relationship kind of person. She wasn't about to be another one of his flings.

And she wouldn't be.

She would talk to him at school today and tell him that they should forget about everything that happened last night and just be friends.

After a moment, she snorted out loud. How pathetic was that? It would be nothing less than impossible to forget about what had happened.

What exactly did he mean by chances anyway? Did he mean like chances that they would get to kiss... or go out, as in dating... or- she really didn't know what they hell he meant.

Did she even want to date him? He was a really great guy, that had already been established, but were they better off as just friends? She knew he had changed since she had left a year ago. But how much? Was he still the heart breaker? She didn't want to get hurt. Then again, was it worth the risk?

Rory sighed. She was going around in circles. And until she actually talked to him, she wasn't going to get anywhere.

School was going to be interesting.

* * *

"What happened?!" Amber squealed.

"I don't know, what did happen?" Tristan asked.

"You haven't been able to stop smiling this morning. I know something happened last night. Danny said you left pretty late."

"Well maybe we just watched a lotta movies."

She snorted, "Yea right."

He just continued to grin goofily and gave his eyebrows a quick raise.

"Oh come-" Amber was cut off when Tristan saw Rory rushing up to his locker.

"Hey." Tristan smiled.

"Hi. We need to talk." she said quickly. She slammed his locker door shut and dragged him into an empty classroom.

Amber, Kelly, Chelsea, and April stared at the closed door.

"Something definitely happened." Chelsea confirmed.

------

"Sooooo..." Tristan said after a few moments of silence.

"What did you mean by your chances?" she asked.

"Huh?"

"You asked me 'what about my other chances', what did you mean by that?"

"Well I thought I made that pretty obvious."

"Apparently not obvious enough."

"Okay then..." he pondered about how he should tell her.

"Well..."

"Ror, I really, really like you." he began, taking a step towards her.

"Uh huh."

"And,"

He continued walking towards her.

"And..."

He took a deep breath, "And I wanna know if you would ever give a guy like me a chance to be with you."

He now had her backed up against the wall. The familiar feeling she felt whenever they were in close proximity of each other building up inside of her.

"Oh."

Then she was silent.

"Ror,"

"I- I'm not going to be another one of your conquests Tristan." she said, looking up into his eyes.

He let out a light chuckle.

"It's not funny, Tristan."

"Rory, you're the sister of Danny Hayden, best friends with Mike, Josh, and Charlie, not to mention four girls that would seriously claw my eyes out if I ever dreamed of anything like that. And, you are the most remarkable person I have ever met, there's not a single chance in this world that you would make you be just another girl to me."

Rory smiled lightly.

"So I'm hoping my chances are still pretty good." he said.

She nodded, "Yea, they're still pretty good."

His goofy grin had found his way back on his face and he leaned down and he leaned down to claim her lips with his. The kiss that was meant to be short and sweet soon turned into a full on make-out session before they were interrupted by the bell.

* * *

The whole lunch table watched Tristan and Rory as they kept sneaking glances and smiling at each other. He leaned over and whispered something in her ear that made her giggle.

"Okay, what is going on here?" April finally asked.

"What do you mean what's going on?" Rory asked innocently.

April turned to Josh, "Care to demonstrate?" she asked him.

"Gladly." he replied.

The two, who were never really the best drama students, ended up doing (or more like attempted to do) a terrible imitation of Tristan and Rory flirting.

When they finished, everyone was looking at them with amused frowns.

"Okay, that was terrible." Mike said.

"So not the point." April said.

They all turned and gave an expectant look to Tristan and Rory, who just shrugged in unison and focused their attention back on their food.

"Oh you are mean."

Rory and Tristan held back a smile. They weren't quite ready to give into their friends yet. Maybe they would just keep them on the edge of their seats for a little while longer...

* * *

Amber opened the front door of her house to reveal Danny, Mike, Josh, and Charlie.

"Where's Tristan?" she asked, holding the door open wider to let them in.

"He and Rory and coming together later." Danny replied as they walked into the living room.

"Something's going on between them."

"No duh."

"Mmm hmm..." Amber said, her eyes darting around the room.

The four guys looked at her oddly.

"Is something wrong?" Mike asked.

She just looked at them.

"Amber," Josh said.

"Well ummmm, there may be a small problem...we-we ummmm..."

"Just spit it out." Charlie said.

"We just got some new neighbors."

They gave her a look that said, 'So?'.

"And there's this guy... his name starts with an 'N' and ends with a 'K', his last name starts with an 'M'... has three syllables..."

Their faces instantly turned cold.

"Exactly," Amber stated, "He has to go."

"Yea," Danny said bitterly, "And how do you suppose we that."

Amber shrugged, "Don't ask me, you guys are the masters. Just set him up or something, otherwise, he's gunna go back to Chilton, not to mention be _my_ next-door neighbor and totally screw Rory over."

The guys looked at each other for a moment.

"He'll be gone by the end of the week."


	11. Chapter 11

**Everything**

**_Disclaimer:_** I don't own anything except the plot and the characters that you don't recognize from the show.

**_Summary:_** When Rory Hayden comes back to Chilton, she still sees Tristan Dugrey as her brother's annoying friend that won't seem to leave her alone. But when opinions change, friendships can form, and maybe, it could become something more.

**_Good to know:_** Rory went to school in England for a year, then comes back to Chilton for her senior year. She hangs out with her old friends. Lorelai and Christopher are married and they live in Hartford. Dean and Jess don't exist; she's not friends with Paris.

**_Rating:_ **PG13

_LilyLOVESwb --_No, it doesn't matter if it's nothing constructive, I love your reviews either way!

* * *

**Chapter 11**

* * *

"So, when are we gunna tell them?" Rory asked Tristan after pulling away from a kiss. They were sitting in Tristan's car in front of Amber's house.

"About us?" he asked, trailing a line of kisses down her neck.

"What else?"

"Do we have to tell them?"

"Well, yea, eventually. They already know something's up." she paused before adding, "I mean, it's funny seeing them squirm and everything. Like they know something's going on but they don't quite know what. But we should tell them at least by the end of...the... we-eeeek." She was finding it increasingly difficult to talk due to Tristan's lips sucking at the base of her neck.

"So I guess we should get ready for a bunch of 'finally's', 'it's about time's' and 'I told you so's', right?"

Rory furrowed her brow. "I get the 'I told you so' part, but I don't know about the 'finally' and 'it's about time'."

"Well let's just say they may have been trying to give us a little push in the right direction for a while now."

"Huh?"

Wow. She really was oblivious to everything.

He shook his head and let out a light chuckle. "Nevermind."

"No, tell me."

"It's nothing." he said, kissing the corner of her mouth.

"Tristan,"

"Really, it's nothing."

"I'll get it out of you somehow, you know."

"Until then."

Rory stuck out her bottom lip in a pout. For a moment Tristan was tempted to just explain it all to her, but decided that a good way to keep them both from saying anything was to just kiss her. A much more productive use of time.

* * *

The eight teenagers sat in the Cole living room awaiting Tristan and Rory's arrival.

"Should we tell them?" April asked softly.

"I don't want to..." Chelsea trailed off.

"But we should." Josh stated.

They nodded their heads wordlessly.

------

Rory and Tristan stood by the front door.

"So I'm not going to be able to touch you all night?" Tristan asked.

"Not unless they know about us, and I'm not read to tell them quite yet." Rory said.

"Fine, but one more kiss."

Rory stood up on her tippy toes and pressed her lips against his, but pulled away shortly afterwards before she got lost in the kiss.

"Later."

"Rory," he whined.

"They're waiting for us." she pointed out.

Then, as if to justify her statement, the door swung open to reveal Amber.

"Hey, we saw your car in the driveway; figured you'd be here by now. What took you guys so long?" Amber inquired as they entered the house.

"Oh, we just got caught up in traffic." Tristan lied. She seemed to accept this, though in her mind she knew very well that there was no traffic, she hated not knowing what was going on.

"Hey guys." Rory said, walking into the living room where everyone was just picking at their pizza.

* * *

"...so then the bear said to the duck, 'tricked you!'" Kelly finished the 'joke' with an over enthusiastic laugh; the others followed suit while Rory and Tristan just smiled and let out a fake chuckle.

The topic at hand had been avoided all night, therefore causing them to talk about various pointless topics and crack jokes that were far from funny.

The teenagers lapsed into silence after the laughter had died down.

"Okay," Rory finally said, "is somebody going to tell me what's going on here or are we gunna have to play Twenty Questions?"

They remained still and silent. Tristan, on the other hand, was twitching in his seat. Rory was just sitting a few feet away. He knew it would be hard for him to keep his hands off of her; hell, he had been forced to resist the urge for years, granted he hadn't even been allowed to touch her up until last night, but now that he was, it was harder than ever...

Before Rory could question her friends again, Tristan cleared his throat and said, "Ror, could I talk to you for a moment?"

She was about to protest, wanting to know exactly what they were hiding from her, but decided against it when she saw Tristan's face; she stifled a giggle.

"Kay."

They got up and headed towards one of the rooms. When they had reached it Rory had barely closed the door behind her when Tristan pushed her up against it, his lips attacking hers, she immediately responded and wrapped her arms around his neck.

When oxygen became a necessity, they pulled away reluctantly.

"You have no idea how badly I've been wanting to do that all night." he said breathlessly.

"I am pretty irresistible, aren't I?" she smirked.

"Ahh, I see I've rubbed off on you."

She shrugged. "Maybe a little."

He kissed her again, and they slowly made their way to the couch, never breaking contact.

------

"You know we _are_ going to have to tell them sometime tonight, right?" Mike questioned.

Silence.

"Helloooo? Anybody listening?"

April sighed. "Yea, yea, we know."

There were murmurs of agreement.

"What's taking them so long anyways?" Chelsea asked.

"I don't know, maybe I should go get them, you know, just get everything over and done with. The sooner the better." Amber said, getting up from her spot on the floor.

"You might be interrupting something." Kelly hissed.

They all gave her an odd look.

"What? You never know..."

Amber rolled her eyes as she went towards the room Tristan and Rory had entered. When she reached it, she muttered to herself, "Knowing Rory, it's gunna take those two a little longer than planned."

She opened the door and gaped at the scene before her: Tristan and Rory in a very compromising position. He was on top of her on the couch and they were making out like a couple of normal, horny teenagers. Okay, so maybe that wasn't anything new for Tristan; but Rory...

"Or not..."

Tristan and Rory were too preoccupied to notice their guest.

A few moments later, Amber slipped silently out of the room, reentered the living room and stood behind the couch, placing her hands on the back rest, still in a state of shock.

Her friends waited expectantly for her to say something, but got nothing.

'_Okay. Think. Process. Focus. Tristan... Rory... couch...'_

"Uhhhh, Amber?" a voice questioned; interrupting her thoughts.

She looked up and blinked at Danny.

"You okay?"

Hesitantly, she said, "Ummm, they- we can't-"

Before Amber could finish her sentence Tristan and Rory walked into the room -not looking one bit flushed or disheveled- and resumed their positions on the couch.

"Yea, I just had to ask Rory something about... something." Tristan said. Rory nodded her head in agreement.

"Ummm, okaaay," Danny said, "Listen we have something to tell you..." he trailed off as he saw Amber flailing her arms around, shaking her head vigorously and mouthing the words 'NO!' behind them. Danny looked at the others who stared blankly back at him, while Rory and Tristan waited for him to continue.

Danny sighed, now was a better time than any, whether he or Amber or anyone else liked it or not, they had to know.

"You see-" he was cut off by Amber.

"It's just so great that you two finally _GOT TOGETHER_!!!!" she yelled, stressing the last two words boldly and giving Danny a look.

Everyone was quiet. Out of all the things they had expected Amber to say, that was definitely not one of them.

Tristan and Rory figured she had probably caught them making out in the room or something. _'I knew I should've locked the door.'_

The others sat there silently. Not knowing whether to feel ecstatic or totally screwed. It was great that they had finally got their act together, really great, greater than great. But how were they suppose to tell them about Nick now?

After a while, Rory hesitantly said to Tristan, "Guess we won't have to worry about telling them anymore." They smiled at each other; Tristan grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze.

Ecstatic it was.

"This is so totally awesome!" Kelly squealed; and the round of 'finally's', 'I told you so's', and 'It's about time's' started.

Then Charlie looked out the window and caught a glimpse of a dark figure walking across the street.

Okay... ecstatically screwed.


	12. Chapter 12

**Everything**

**_Disclaimer: _**I don't own anything except the plot and the characters that you don't recognize from the show.

**_Summary:_** When Rory Hayden comes back to Chilton, she still sees Tristan Dugrey as her brother's annoying friend that won't seem to leave her alone. But when opinions change, friendships can form, and maybe, it could become something more.

**_Good to know:_** Rory went to school in England for a year, then comes back to Chilton for her senior year. She hangs out with her old friends. Lorelai and Christopher are married and they live in Hartford. Dean and Jess don't exist; she's not friends with Paris

**_Rating:_ **PG13

_LilyLOVESwb --_Just wanted to let you know that I have every intention of continue 'Road Trip', but I wanted to finish this story first. It's kinda hard writing two trories at once because then you get the same ideas and they get to be really similar, but I do plan on finishing it.

**

* * *

**

Chapter 12

* * *

"What is it?!" Rory exclaimed to her brother as they sat in the kitchen the next morning.

"I already told you," Danny said with a mouthful of cereal, "it was nothing."

"Well you don't just go 'Listen we have something to tell you' for no reason. When you say that, it usually means that there's, well, something to tell."

"Ha. Usually. Not always."

"Ugh! Tristan was like that yesterday too! He was talkin' about some stuff and when I didn't get it he wouldn't explain it to me. He said it was 'nothing'."

"Well maybe it was nothing."

"Yea, well, maybe not! And even if it was nothing, there'd be no harm in telling me... unless it was something. And since he wouldn't explain it to me it obviously was... something!"

"When's Tristan picking you up?"

"Way to change the subj- omigod! Tristan's picking me up in like..." she glanced at her watch, "now!"

She quickly left the kitchen when she heard the doorbell ring.

Rory opened the front door and smiled at her boyfriend.

"Hey," Tristan said, leaning down and greeting her with a kiss.

"Oh, get a room will you?" Danny said, entering the main lobby.

"It was just a little kiss." Rory told her brother.

"Yea, and I'm sure it'd stay 'just a little kiss' if I hadn't come in." he said rolling his eyes.

She glared at him, "Don't think I'm finished with you. If you don't tell me, I'll just get Amber or somebody else to."

"Their lips are sealed."

"I wouldn't be too sure if I were you."

"Yea, well, you're not."

She stuck her tongue out at him before heading out the door with Tristan.

* * *

"What was that all about?" Tristan as he started the car.

"Well you know how last night Danny was saying that they had something to tell us?"

"Yea."

"And he never got to finish because Amber announced that we were together?"

"With her voice? How could I forget?"

"Yea, well, this morning I was asking Danny what he was gunna say last night, but he wouldn't tell me."

"Why?"

"Beats me."

"Do you think it might've had something to do with Amber telling them about us?"

"They didn't even know about it in the first place, what could it possibly have to do with what he was about to tell us?"

He shrugged. "Then it was probably nothing."

Rory rolled her eyes. "Nothing shmuthing. It was definitely something."

* * *

Chelsea, April, Kelly, Amber, Mike, Josh, Charlie, and Danny sat at the cafeteria table. Tristan and Rory had gone off to do some 'research for a project'.

"How the hell are we suppose to tell them now?" Amber groaned.

"Easy. We Don't." Danny said.

"What? We have to."

"Look, I haven't seen Rory this happy with a guy in ages, and I'm not gunna let that bastard ruin that. We'll just have to deal with him ourselves."

"Danny,"

"What?"

"We all love seeing Rory happy and I'm more than relieved that she and Tristan are finally together, but this is not something you can keep from her."

"Yes it is."

"He's back in Hartford, which means that he'll be back at Chilton by next week, tops, and even if you do somehow manage to get rid of him by then, do you really think that he won't go and bother Rory? Last time I heard, she hit him; he isn't just gunna let something let that go."

He stared at her. "Damn."

* * *

His parents had allowed him to come back to Hartford due to his 'good behavior' at that god damn boarding school in Chicago. He laughed to himself, if only they knew...

He would be starting school tomorrow; the sooner the better according to his father.

Boxes were piled everywhere around his room, and he contemplated whether or not he should finish unpacking everything. He came to the conclusion that there would be plenty of time to do that later, right now, he had some business to attend to.

He grabbed his keys, hopped in his car, and headed towards the Hayden mansion.

No one hit Nick Mackenzie and got away with it. And she knew that. Or she would, at least.

* * *

"We're coming in now!" Danny announced as he and Amber walked into the living room just in time to see Rory and Tristan pull away from each other.

"You don't have to tell us that you know." Rory said.

"Yea, and risk seeing my sister and best friend making out? I don't think so."

"We weren't making out."

Danny looked at her and Tristan's disheveled features, and raised his eyebrows.

"Okay, so maybe just a little. No harm in that."

He rolled his eyes as he and Amber sat down on the couch facing them.

The four teenagers stared at each other.

"Would you like something?" Rory questioned after a few moments of silence.

"Well, ummm, about this morning, I actually did have something to tell you..." Danny began.

"Ha! I knew it!"

"Yea, well, you know how last weekend at the beach house we saw-"

He stopped when he saw Rory giggle at something Tristan had whispered in her ear. She was happy with him. He was happy with her. They were happy with each other.

"Sorry, you were saying?" she said, stiffling another giggle.

"You know what? Nevermind. It's nothing."

"Danny," Amber warned.

"What? It's nothing, really."

"Oh, you so can not do that." Rory said.

"Watch me."

"If you don't tell me, then Amber will."

"No she won't."

"Yes she will."

"No she won't."

"Yes she will."

"You know," Tristan said, "You could just ask Amber herself."

They all turned towards her, and Amber stared at them helpessly.

"Ummmm... Danny can tell you!" she said, nodding at her boyfriend.

_Ding Dong_

"I'll get that." Rory said, getting up to open the door, "I'm gunna get it out of one of you, you know. I always do."

Tristan watched Danny and Amber shift uncomfortably on the couch.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"Wrong? What makes you think something's wrong? Everything's just fine and dandy." Danny said sarcastically.

Tristan turned to Amber, "What happened?"

"Uhhh, well, ummmm, you see-"

"Where do you think you're going?" they heard an all too familiar voice say from the hall.

"Let go of me!" Rory shrieked.

'_Smack'_

Without a seconds hesitation Tristan and Danny had rushed to the front door.

* * *

"You shouldn't have pulled me back." Danny muttered, holding an icepack over his shoulder.

Josh and April had arrived shortly after Nick had come, and Tristan had taken Rory upstairs.

"Yea, and watch you kill the guy?" Josh said.

"He deserved it."

"Yes he did, but you still shouldn't have done it." April said, "So beating him up isn't gunna work. What's plan B?"

Silence.

"Oh please tell me you have a plan B." Amber said.

Nothing.

"Omigod, you don't! Ugh! You guys are supposed to think ahead! Did you really think that you could just get rid of him by beating the crap out of him?!"

The guys gave her a sheepish look.

"Unbelievable!" April exclaimed.

Danny ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Well what the hell are we supposed to do now?"

"I don't know, but you better think of something. Fast."

------

Rory huddled up against Tristan on her bed while he stoked her bruised cheek soothingly.

"Does it still hurt?" he asked her softly.

"Yea, a little."

"I'll get him for this Ror."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"Well-"

"You better not hit him like Danny."

"I-"

"Tristan,"

He sighed. "Fine. But I'm still gunna get him."

"Just leave it alone."

"No way."

"Please?"

He looked at her pleading face. "Don't you want him to leave though?"

"Of course, but he's back here to stay and there's nothing we can do about it. So the best thing for us is to just ignore him."

"Correction, the best thing for _you_ is to just ignore him. We'll take care of the rest."

Rory was too tired to argue, she'd deal with it tomorrow. She snuggled deeper into his chest and his arms tightened around her. She felt safe with him, something she hadn't felt in a long time; he would never hurt her.

Would he?


	13. Chapter 13

**Everything**

**_Disclaimer: _**I don't own anything except the plot and the characters that you don't recognize from the show.

**_Summary:_** When Rory Hayden comes back to Chilton, she still sees Tristan Dugrey as her brother's annoying friend that won't seem to leave her alone. But when opinions change, friendships can form, and maybe, it could become something more.

**_Good to know:_** Rory went to school in England for a year, then comes back to Chilton for her senior year. She hangs out with her old friends. Lorelai and Christopher are married and they live in Hartford. Dean and Jess don't exist; she's not friends with Paris.

**_Rating:_ **PG13

**_A/N:_** This is a repost... just deleted a part. Necessary though.

**

* * *

**

Chapter 13

* * *

"Look, Ror, we were planning on telling you, really." April said as the girls sat in the school library.

Rory lifted her head from her book, "I know."

"You do?" Chelsea questioned.

"Well you guys did say you had something to tell me right? You just kept on putting it off, that's all."

"Yea, I know, but you and Tristan seemed so happy, we didn't want to drop the bombshell on you." Amber said.

"Yea..."

The four girls looked at Rory, who had focused her attention back to her book. Other than her still slightly bruised cheek, she seemed perfectly fine. But there was no way she could be acting like everything was normal after Nick had come back to town _and_ hit her; they weren't buying it.

Rory could feel them staring at her. She ignored them hoping they'd leave it alone, but she knew that they were suspicious about her behavior, little did they know that it wasn't much of an act, or so she kept telling herself at least.

She sighed and finally looked up at them, "What?"

"He's not going to be around for much longer you know. The guys are taking care of it." Amber said.

"No they're not."

"Huh? Of course they are."

"No they're not. They're going to leave it alone. He's not worth the trouble."

"Rory, stop."

"Stop what?"

"You're acting like everything's fine."

"Everything _is_ fine."

"No, everything's _not_ fine."

Why couldn't they just believe her? Did they not realize that that jerk was not someone that she should get upset over? Like Tristan said, she wasn't going to let him get to her.

"Is too."

"Is not."

"Is too."

"Is not."

"Is too."

"_Is not_." The four girls stated in unison, causing a few people to give them dirty looks for disturbing the quiet. "Rory, listen-"

"No, you listen," Rory demanded, they were a bit taken a back by her boldness that they remained silent, "he's an idiotic, selfish, cheating, moronic jerk that I am _not_ going to get worked up over, especially since everything is going so great right now for me. Is it so completely and utterly hard to believe that I don't want anything to do with him what so ever?"

"No, we jus-"

"Excuse me," the librarian said sternly, coming up to their table, "if you do not keep your voices down I am going to have to ask you to take your personal matters outside. You are disturbing other's around you."

"Sorry." they five girls mumbled.

"So..." Kelly began after the librarian had left, "you're really okay then?"

"Yes." Rory confirmed in a softer tone.

They weren't convinced; Rory was bothered by it whether she would admit it to herself or not, but if she kept on telling herself that everything was fine, she might be able to convince herself sooner or later, so they decided to drop it for now.

Amber forced a smile, "Good."

* * *

"So what're we doing this weekend?" Rory asked Tristan, laying her head on his chest as the pair sat in the living room.

"Well it's just gunna be you and me. I have yet to take you out on a date."

"We've gone out before."

"Not just the two of us, no."

"Well then what does the mighty Tristan Dugrey have up his sleeve?"

"Now that's a surprise."

"But I hate surprises."

"You hate not knowing what the surprise is, but you love the actual surprise itself."

"You seem pretty confident that I'm gunna like what you've got planned."

"That's because I am."

"You can never be too sure..."

"Yes I can." he said, kissing her lightly.

She let out a content sigh, letting herself get wrapped up in him.

And then there it was again. The feeling of happiness and security, but there was also the feeling of something else, something she didn't like. She tried to push the thought to the back of her head; Tristan's kisses were definitely helping with that.

Too bad it would always make its way back though.

* * *

"I'm serious Danny, she's acting freakishly weird." Amber said, pacing back and forth in her room.

"How is she acting freakishly weird?" Danny asked.

"She's acting normal."

He raised his eyebrows at her.

"Isn't she supposed to be acting normal?"

"No, she's supposed to be freaking out about either Nick or Tristan."

"Okay, I get Nick, but Tristan? Why would she be freaking out about Tristan? "

"Danny, Rory was completely commitment phobic after what Nick did, so now that he's back, she's gunna get all psycho on Tristan."

"Ummmm, translation..."

Amber stopped and looked at him, "She's scared, she may not realize it, but she is."

"And how did you figure that out?"

She threw her hands in the air dramatically, "Guys know absolutely nothing about relationships what so ever!"

"Yea, so, you mind filling in your clueless boyfriend then?"

"Nick cheated on her, yes, she's over it and she did finally manage to overcome her commitment phobia with Tristan, but seeing him made that fear come back."

"So what you're trying to say is that she's scared that Tristan's gunna cheat on her."

"Give the guy a prize."

"How can you be so sure?"

"'Cause I know Rory, she's my best friend. So what if you're her brother, you're still a guy, you wouldn't understand."

"But he won't, because if he did, we'd all kick his ass."

"I know that, he knows that, we all know that, except Rory."

"Amber, can you really be one-hundred percent certain about what's going through Rory's head?"

"Yes. You know, you're being awfully calm about all this."

"Look, Rory's happy right now, or she appears to be at least, so just, don't go looking for trouble that might not even happen."

She sighed, "Too late, it already has."

* * *

Rory lay awake in her bed that night, she couldn't sleep; she was excited about tomorrow. It was her and Tristan's first official date. The thought of him made her smile. Out of all the guys she had dated, none of them ranked anywhere near Tristan. He was definitely special. She knew she was falling for him, and falling hard.

That's what scared her the most._**

* * *

**_

_**A/N:**_ I know I didn't exactly change anything, I just deleted the part about the guys, but I didn't like where I planned on taking the story, so I had to take that part out, and now I have a pretty good idea on where this story is going.


	14. Chapter 14

**Everything**

**_Disclaimer:_** I don't own anything except the plot and the characters that you don't recognize from the show.

**_Summary:_** When Rory Hayden comes back to Chilton, she still see Tristan Dugrey as her brother's annoying friend that won't seem to leave her alone. But when opinions change, friendships can form, and maybe, it could become something more.

**_Good to know:_** Rory went to school in England for a year, then comes back to Chilton for her senior year. She hangs out with her old friends. Lorelai and Christopher are married and they live in Hartford. Dean and Jess don't exist; she's not friends with Paris.

**_Rating:_ **PG13

**_A/N:_** I reposted Chapter 12, I just deleted the part about the guys 'cause I changed the way I was going with the whole Nick thing.

* * *

**Chapter 14**

* * *

He was back. Okay, they already knew he was back, but now he was actually _back_ back, as in Chilton back. He was roaming the halls like he owned the place, acting like he was king; like nothing had ever happened.

Some students would stay away, fearing that they would get on the bad side of Tristan, Danny, Mike, Josh and Charlie, while curiosity got the best of others, much to the guys' dismay.

Rory was still acting like nothing was wrong. According to her, she had better things to do rather than getting worked up over a 'lowlife scum', like being excited for her date with Tristan that night. It pained her friends knowing that she was going to crack any moment, and they couldn't do anything about it. They instantly regretted promising her that they would leave him alone.

But they had to at least find some way to get _him_ to leave _her_ alone.

* * *

Tristan stood on the porch of Rory's house at precisely seven o'clock. He raised his hand to knock on the door, but dropped it to his side moments later. Maybe he was too early, girls always needed more time to get ready; Rory wasn't like most girls though, but she was still a girl...

What the hell was wrong with him? They'd gone out before, why was he so nervous all of a sudden? He was never nervous around girls. Except Rory. Well it was their first official date...

Then the door swung open to reveal Lorelai, with an amused expression etched on her face.

"Hey Bible Boy, were you gunna knock any time soon, or were you just planning on standing there the whole night?"

"Uhhh, hi... Mrs. Hayden." he said stepping passed the open door.

She gave him a funny look, "Mrs. Hayden? Since when did you call me Mrs. Hayden? It's always been... 'Hey Lorelai!' or 'How's it goin' Lorelai'." she paused and mock realization came across her face, "The real Tristan got abducted by aliens, didn't he? And you're just the guy from Mars? So that's why Rory's into you all of a sudden."

"Lor," Christopher said joining them, "you're scaring the kid."

"What are you talking about? I never scare anyone."

Ignoring his wife, he turned to Tristan, "Hi." he said simply, staring at him. He'd known Tristan ever since he was little, but that was always as Danny's best friend, now... now, he was Rory's boyfriend. There was a difference.

"Hello, Mr. Hayden." he said nervously.

Christopher just continued to stare at him until Lorelai nudged him in the side.

"Chris, just call me Chris like always."

"Okay... Chris."

"Okay," Lorelai said, clapping her hands together, "We really don't want to be bordering the whole 'un-cool' parents thingy, but you know, it's kinda necessary that we give you the pep talk."

Tristan resisted the urge to roll his eyes, it was 'the talk', he'd heard it from so many parents he could recite exactly everything they were about to say. But these were Rory's parents, so it was different, well, maybe not so much the talk itself, but he really needed their approval; he nodded.

"So... yadda, yadda, yadda, hurt her and die." Lorelai said with a bright smile.

Yup, the talk was pretty much the same... just not in so many words.

Christopher looked at his wife and shook his head, "What she means is..."

"He knows what I mean. I thought we talked about this whole 'let's be more hip parents' thing."

"_You_ talked about it; I said nothing of the sort."

"No, I precisely remember hearing you say..."

* * *

Rory stared at her reflection in the mirror. Tristan told her to dress casual, so she wore a pair of hip-huggers, a white hoody, a denim jacket, and just a touch of makeup, with her hair pulled back into a messy bun. She had been ready for about half an hour, but she didn't want it to look like she was waiting or anything, she might come over as a bit too eager, plus her parents would have to give him the pep talk and- crap!

Rory grabbed her purse and quickly went downstairs. As she entered the lobby, she saw a very uncomfortable Tristan standing in front of her parents who seemed to be arguing about... staying cool?

"_Hey_ Mom, Dad, ummm, we're gunna go." Rory said going up Tristan, who seemed happy and relieved at the sight of her, grabbing his hand and began making their way towards the door.

"See!" Lorelai scolded Christopher, "Now Rory thinks we're embarrassing!"

"No she doesn't." Christopher said, then calling after his daughter, "Do you, Ror?"

Rory turned around and made a face, "No, of course not. Why would you think that?"

"Oh, now she's lying to us! Chris, look what you did!"

"Okay, Mom, I wasn't lying, but if you keep that up-"

"So we're still cool parents, right?" Lorelai interjected.

"Right, but really have to go now..." Rory said, opening the front door.

"Yea, I made these reservations, so we don't want to be..." Tristan trailed off as he looked at Christopher, who was staring at him again, "or we could just... take our time."

"Oh no, shoo!" Lorelai said, ushering them out the door, "Don't mind Chris, he's just feeling a bit cranky." she told Tristan, "Have fun kiddies."

------

"Hi." Rory said, smiling at Tristan as the two stood on the driveway moments later.

"Hi." he said, intertwining their hands and putting them behind her back before leaning in to greet her properly with a kiss.

"Sorry about my parents." Rory said after they pulled away and headed towards the car, hand in hand.

"Don't worry about it, it was actually kinda funny. Though I'm not sure your dad likes me very much."

"What? Of course he likes you, he's always liked you."

"That was before I became his daughter's boyfriend." he said, starting up the engine. He saw Rory smile. "What?"

"I like that." she said.

"Like what?"

"You're my boyfriend."

Tristan smirked, "Well, who wouldn't?"

Rory hit him playfully on the arm, "Jerk."

"Hey! No attacking the driver!" he laughed.

"So, where are you taking me anyways?"

"I already told you."

"No you didn't."

"Yes I did."

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Did not."

"Did too."

"I could do this all night you know."

"So could I."

She pouted, "Well then, Mr. I-already-told-you-where-we're-going-tonight, would you be ever so kind and tell me again since I supposedly forgot."

He looked over at her and smiled, "It's a surprise."

* * *

"SweetCherryPie?" Josh repeated as the four guys sat in front of the computer in Danny's room while Tristan and Rory were out on their date.

"What?" Charlie said, "It works, doesn't it?"

Shaking his head and smiling, Danny slowly typed in the name.

------

NickMac: So you really like me?

SweetCherryPie: Honey, you're like the hottest guy on the face of this planet.

NickMac: Hmmm, true, very true.

SweetCherryPie: I actually had a dream about you last night...

NickMac: Oh yea? What was it about?

SweetCherryPie: How 'bout I tell you when we meet, and then we could act it out?

NickMac: I like the sound of that.

NickMac: So are you going to tell me who you are?

SweetCherryPie: Not yet. That's a secret. But if you're good I might leave a few hints here or there.

NickMac: And if I'm naughty?

SweetCherryPie: Then I'll have to give you a spanking.

NickMac: Kinky. You know, I've never actually had a secret admirer.

SweetCherryPie: I'm sure you have plenty, how could you not? It's just that none of them have the guts to say anything.

NickMac: Then you would be the first.

SweetCherryPie: Of many, I presume. But when girls are swarming over you, you're not gunna forget about me, are you? ::pouts::

NickMac: You? Never.

SweetCherryPie: Good to know.

NickMac: Well if you aren't going to tell me who you are, will you at least tell me about yourself?

SweetCherryPie: Well...


	15. Chapter 15

**Everything**

**_Disclaimer:_** I don't own anything except the plot and the characters that you don't recognize from the show.

**_Summary:_** When Rory Hayden comes back to Chilton, she still sees Tristan Dugrey as her brother's annoying friend that won't seem to leave her alone. But when opinions change, friendships can form, and maybe, it could become something more.

**_Good to know:_** Rory went to school in England for a year, then comes back to Chilton for her senior year. She hangs out with her old friends. Lorelai and Christopher are married and they live in Hartford. Dean and Jess don't exist; she's not friends with Paris.

**_Rating:_ **PG13

* * *

**Chapter 15**

**

* * *

**

"Do I even want to know how you're coming up with this stuff?" Danny asked, watching Charlie typing away."With what stuff?" Charlie asked without looking up from the keyboard.

"I toss and turn in my sleep at night, for I have nightmares of you rejecting me." Josh said deadpanned, reading off the computer screen.

Charlie shrugged, "Sounds like something a secret admirer would say, don't ya think?"

"More like an obsessive freak. It sounds like something out of cheesy, dramatic, romantic, horror-y kind of... movie." Mike said.

"And you would know... how?" Josh asked.

"I don't! I'm just... assuming."

"Mmm hmm."

"I don't!"

"You said that already."

"Seriously, stop."

"Stop what? I'm not doing anything."

"Well you don't believe me."

"Well maybe I do."

"Well maybe you don't, in which case, I can tell that you don't believe me. You do that... thing, when you don't believe someone." Mike said, looking at Josh's facial expression.

"Do what thing?"

"I don't know, you just... do... that thing!"

"Riiiight, _that_ thing, yea, I know what you're talking about."

"There you go again!"

"What?"

"You don't believe me when I say that you do a thing when you don't believe people, but I know that you do, do a thing because I can see you do the thing, and I'm seeing you do the thing right now, but clearly you still don't believe me—you're still doing it!"

"Dude, don't have a cow-"

"I'm not having a cow, and- wait, 'don't have a cow'? Don't girls just say that?"

"No, girls do not _just_ say that, guys can say it too if they want, I do not recall a gender owning a phrase."

"Mmm hmm."

"Hey, you can't do that."

"Do what?"

"You did that 'mmm hmm' thing. I was the one that didn't believe you, and you were the one that was annoyed. We can't switch roles!"

"So you _do_ admit that you didn't believe me. And whoever said that we can't switch roles?"

"Me. And-"

"Remember, don't have a cow." Mike smirked, wagging his finger in front of his face.

Danny shook his head in amusement as the two continued to bicker, "So when are you gunna wrap up the nauseating sweet talk and get to the good stuff?" he asked Charlie, eager to complete the task at hand

"I'm gettin' there..."

* * *

The car came to a stop when the traffic light turned red. Tristan looked over at Rory, who was still pouting slightly, and let out a chuckle. He knew she hated not knowing where they were going, but he wasn't about to give in, though it was awfully difficult considering the way she was looking at him. Her reaction when she saw the place would be all worthwhile though. This was definitely going to be a memorable first date.

"Stop looking at me like that." he said, stepping on the gas pedal again.

"Like what?" Rory asked innocently.

"I'm not going to tell you where we're going, so stop pouting."

"I am not pouting."

"You are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Let's not start this again, shall we?"

"Well if you'd just tell me where we're going..."

"I'm not gunna tell you." he said again.

"It's some kind of restaurant though, isn't it? 'Cause before we left you told my dad that you had reservations."

"We're having dinner after we're finished... what we're about to do. Kind of necessary actually."

"Necessary?"

He glanced at her and smirked, "You'll understand soon."

Rory sighed dramatically in defeat, knowing he wasn't going to give in, "Well then are we almost there?"

"Almost... kinda."

"So, no?"

"Nope."

"Where are we going anyways?" Rory asked, attempting to sneak it out of him once more.

"Up to- hey!"

"Darn, so close. But now I know we're going up to... up to where again?"

"Like I'm gunna fall for that."

Rory shrugged, "Can't blame a girl for trying."

* * *

SweetCherryPie: So, tell me something.

NickMac: Tell you what?

SweetCherryPie: ::shrugs:: Anything. I've told you so much about me, now it's your turn.

NickMac: Well, I like sports.

SweetCherryPie: Sweetie, I already knew that, I know all the basics. Tell me something interesting.

------

Danny, Mike, Josh, and Charlie burst out laughing as they read the contents on the screen. The things he was saying were priceless. This was better than they had pictured. Now they could keep him away from Rory without having to inflict any actual _bodily_ harm, but when he found out that they knew about some of the things he had done, well, there would definitely be an ego bash.

Just imagining the things they could make him do with the information they had... oh the possibilities. But they were again reminded of the promise they had made to Rory about leaving him alone.

They knew what they were doing wasn't exactly leaving him alone. But this could be an exception, she'd understand. Not that she'd find out or anything.

If people could die from embarrassment, he'd be gone in a heartbeat.

All they needed was a few more little chats with 'SweetCherryPie' and he wouldn't even exist to them. And the one thing they wanted more than to get him out of their heads, was to get him out of Rory's head. She may not admit it, but he was floating around there somewhere in the back of her mind, it was just a matter of time before she started putting her walls up.

* * *

"You have got to be kidding me." Rory said, looking around. This was _not_ what she had picture their first date to be. In fact, she'd never pictured herself in a situation like this. Ever.

"What? It'd be fun." Tristan coaxed, putting his hands on her waist. He knew she was going to take some convincing, he just hoped she wouldn't need _too_ much convincing, otherwise the place was going to close by the time she decided to do it, _if_ she decided to do it.

"You know,a nice dinner and coffee would've been sufficient."

"Yea, but that's like a typical date. And this, is not a typical date."

"Well that's for sure."

"You know what I mean."

Rory smiled, "Yea, I do." she said, giving him a light kiss on the lips.

"Mar, you don't have to do it if you really don't want to, but if you did, this would definitely be a memorable first date."

"Anything would memorable with you."

"Well yea, I guess," he said cockily as Rory swatted his chest, "but this would just give it that little something extra."

"_Little_ something extra? There's nothing little about this, Tristan, this is _big_."

"It's not that big."

She gave him a disbelieving look and he shrugged.

"What do ya say?" he tried again, "I'll be with you the whole time."

She hesitated for a moment. When was the last time she did something this... this... she didn't really know how to describe it. Daring? Maybe. It could be fun. Plus, Tristan would be with her the entire way.

Slowly, she nodded, "Okay. I'll do it."


	16. Chapter 16

**Everything**

**_Disclaimer:_** I don't own anything except the plot and the characters that you don't recognize from the show.

**_Summary:_** When Rory Hayden comes back to Chilton for her senior year, she still sees Tristan Dugrey as her brother's annoying friend that won't seem to leave her alone. But when opinions change, friendships can form, and maybe, it could become something more.

**_Good to know:_** Rory went to school in England for a year, then comes back to Chilton for her senior year. She hangs out with her old friends. Lorelai and Christopher are married and they live in Hartford. Dean and Jess don't exist; she's not friends with Paris.

**_Rating:_ **PG13

_Kala _– Oooh, you're so smart, that's exactly what I had planned for them to do.

* * *

**Chapter 16**

* * *

"So Danny just called." Amber said to her three friends as she sat on her bed.

"Huh, what else is new?" Kelly said absentmindedly from her position on the floor without looking up from her textbook.

"He said that the guys and he would be coming over tonight." Amber said, ignoring Kelly's comment.

Chelsea shrugged, "Okay. Hey, what'd you get for 7b?" she asked, referring to her chemistry homework.

"Ummm, Praseodymium and Dysprosium."

"Same."

"What'd you get for 6f?" April asked, tapping her pencil on the desk.

"Hey, focus!" Amber said, "You're getting off topic here!"

They gave her a weird look, "Aren't we supposed to be doing our homework? This was a study session, wasn't it?" Kelly asked.

"Keyword: was. It _was_ a study session."

"We just started like, five minutes ago."

"Yes, and we worked for five _whole_ minutes, too much if you ask me. So forget about the chemicals, we have to move onto more important things. Like the fact that the guys are coming over tonight."

April frowned, "But they always come over, and we have a test tomorrow."

Amber rolled her eyes, "Test shmest. You're completely missing the bigger picture here, they're coming over tonight!"

"Okay, first of all, you've said that three times already, and second, why is that the 'bigger picture'?" Chelsea said.

She sighed, "You guys are so out of it."

"_We're_ so out of it?"

"Yes, _you're_ so out of it. You really don't know _why_ they're coming over tonight, do you?"

"Apparently not." Kelly said, sitting up.

"Rory and Tristan are out, so the guys are coming over." Amber said as if the true meaning of her statement was obvious.

They stared at her blankly.

"Hello? Nick, right next door!"

Silence.

Amber threw her hands into the air, as if justifying her previous statement.

Nothing.

She let out another exasperated sigh, "Does anyone read between the lines anymore?" she said, dropping her hands, she decided to give it another try, "Tristan. Rory. Out. Nick. Next door. Guys. Here. Tonight."

Then realization spread across their faces.

"Ooooooh."

Amber nodded, with a pointed look on her face.

"So what do you think they're gunna do?" April asked.

"I don't know, Danny was pretty tight-lipped about it on the phone." Amber said, playing with a strand of loose thread on her comforter.

"Whatever they're doing, it'll work, right?" Chelsea inquired.

"Right." Amber confirmed, convinced that their plan would get Nick to leave Rory alone once and for all.

* * *

"It's not too late to back out, you know." Tristan said, looking at her face as the two stood on the edge of the bridge.

"I thought you wanted me to do this." Rory said confused, why was he giving her the chance to back out?

He chuckled, "I do, but look at you, you're petrified; we could just skip this if you want." he said, tucking a strand of hair that had fallen out of the messy bun behind her ear.

Sometimes she really wondered how he had turned from a jerk that annoyed the hell out of her, to a sweet, caring boyfriend that made her feel weak in the knees. Now she wasn't saying that he was a completely innocent guy or anything —like Nick had been, for the most part anyway... why was she thinking about him?— Tristan was far from innocent, but there was definitely a difference from the guy he had been before.

Despite her nervousness, she shook her head defiantly. Where was her sense of adventure? This could be fun, it _would_ be fun. "No, I'm gunna do this."

"You sure?"

Two months ago, she would've thought she'd have a higher chance of dancing with mud covered rhinos wearing fluorescent green tutus in Liechtenstein, than go bungee jumping with Tristan Dugrey as her boyfriend. Yet here she was, standing on the edge of a bridge with him, strapped up in safety harnesses, about to make a who knows how far jump; but judging by the quick peek over the edge she had made, it was pretty damn far down.

Reassured by his comforting arms around her, she nodded into his chest, "Yea."

And then they took the plunge.

* * *

SweetCherryPie: So... you still...?

NickMac: Well, yea, but not as often anymore. It used to happen practically every other night.

SweetCherryPie: Yea, I mean, it's just so hard to remember to go to the bathroom every night before you go to bed, sometimes it just slips your mind.

NickMac: I knew you'd understand.

SweetCherryPie: Of course, but, you can actually control it, right?

NickMac: Oh, yea, of course! But I just forget sometimes, you know? Plus I've been having some dreams...

SweetCherryPie: Oh yea? What kinds of dreams?

NickMac: Well, they're kinda like REALLY, REALLY scary nightmares.

SweetCherryPie: Do you want to talk about it?

NickMac: Not really, and you'll laugh.

SweetCherryPie: Now why in the world would I laugh? Come on, you can tell me...

* * *

Rory and Tristan dangled upside down from the bungee cord, still holding on to each other tightly.

"Omigod." Rory breathed out.

"Now that, was the true definition of fun."

"That scared the living hell out of me."

Tristan shifted his position slightly so that he could look at her face, "But definitely something to remember?"

She smiled, "Definitely something to remember."

And then he kissed her.

* * *

"No, he was dinosaur; I'm his sister, I remember these things!" Rory said as the two sat in a coffee shop later that evening after they had finished dinner—which according to Rory, was way too expensive. How they had started debating about Danny's Halloween costume from when he was five, she didn't know, it was just one of those conversations where it flowed from one random topic to another.

"Yes, but I went trick-or-treating with him, I was with him the whole time, I think I would know what he wore. You and the girls were too busy prancing around in your pretty little princess costumes to really pay any attention. He was an alien, antennae and all."

"He was not, he was a dinosaur! And I liked my Cinderella costume!"

"Hey, I'm not saying I didn't like it, I thought you looked gorgeous."

"Yea, uh huh, I wish I could say the same about you... a dead pirate just doesn't cut it for me."

"That's what you say, but really, you were drooling over my god-like body and—"

"Tristan, we were five."

"Doesn't mean you can't appreciate a fine male specimen, in which case, that would be me." he said, pointing is thumb to his chest.

"Ego check Mr. Dugrey."

She narrowed her eyes at him for a moment, as if pondering something, and the next thing he knew she had her cell phone up to her ear and she began drumming her fingers on the table as she waited for the person at the other end of the line to pick up.

"Who are you phoning?" he asked.

"Danny." she said a-matter-of-factly.

He furrowed his brow, "You're calling your brother in the middle of our date?"

"Well I think he was a dinosaur and you think he was an alien, so the only way that we can wrap this up is by asking the costume-wearer himself."

He chuckled at her determination to win the smallest little disagreement.

"Hey," Rory said when Danny answered the phone.

"Rory! Uhhh, hey."

"Were you a dinosaur or an alien?"

"Huh?"

"What'd you dress up as for Halloween when you were five? A dinosaur or an alien?"

"Ummm, I think I was—" he paused as he motioned for the guys to stop talking about their plans for tonight, "Rory's on the phone." he whispered to them, but apparently a bit too loudly.

"Danny?"

"Oh, right, yea, I think I was, ahhh—"

"What are you doing?" she interrupted him, since when did he ever bother to let the people around him know that she was on the phone?

"Nothing." he lied, cringing at his stupidity; of course she would know that something was up.

"Try again."

"Aren't you on a date?" he said, trying to change the subject.

"Yes. So what are you doing?"

"You're out with your boyfriend and you called me to ask what I was doing?"

"No, I called to ask you whether you were a dinosaur or an alien for Halloween when you were five, but now—"

"I was a pumpkin."

"A pumpkin?"

"Yea, a green pumpkin, I remember how the stem on top of my head almost caught on fire when Mom was lighting the sparklers." He just hoped that she'd leave it at that.

"Danny, stop avoiding my question." she said, looking over at Tristan who now had a bored expression on his face, she had just intended to have a short little talk with Danny to figure out what his costume had been, but that was before she knew he was up to something.

"Nothing, just watching some TV with the guys. Now I suggest you return to your date, 'cause somehow I don't think Tristan's enjoying the fact that you're having a conversation with your brother right this second."

"Why are you being so secretive lately? The last time you wouldn't tell me something it was because—" she paused as realization hit her, "Danny..."

"Look Rory, it's nothing seriously, listen, I gotta go, I'll see ya later, bye."

"But—" she said just as the other line went dead. Slowly, she put her cell phone back in her purse.

"Is everything okay?" Tristan asked, concerned with the sudden change of tone in her voice at the end of the call.

Rory forced a smile, "Yea, of course."


	17. Chapter 17

**Everything**

**_Disclaimer:_** I don't own anything except the plot and the characters that you don't recognize from the show.

**_Summary:_** When Rory Hayden comes back to Chilton for her senior year, she still sees Tristan Dugrey as her brother's annoying friend that won't seem to leave her alone. But when opinions change, friendships can form, and maybe, it could become something more.

**_Good to know:_** Rory went to school in England for a year, then comes back to Chilton for her senior year. She hangs out with her old friends. Lorelai and Christopher are married and they live in Hartford. Dean and Jess don't exist. She isn't friends with Paris; I'm having fun with my own characters.

**_Rating:_ **PG13

* * *

**Chapter 17**

* * *

"She knows, doesn't she." Mike stated, rather than questioned.

"No. Well, kinda... she doesn't know exactly what we're doing." Danny said.

"But she knows we're doing something."

"Yea..." he trailed off, and sighed, "but that's just our secondary concern right now."

"Then what's our primary concern?" Josh asked, frowning.

"She's thinking about Nick.

"She might not, I mean, she's always found a way to ignore him before, why not now?"

"Because out of all those times he's been mentioned, none of them were during a date with Tristan."

"Dude, don't pull an Amber on us." Charlie said, making a face, "We don't do the whole 'reading between the lines and thinking deep' thing that she does."

The three guys looked at Danny expectantly, waiting for him to simplify his statement, in return, he just said, "I don't know how to explain it, it's just... Why don't you just ask the girls, I'm not good at this kinda stuff."

* * *

The car ride home was silent. She thought that he thought that she wasn't feeling well, but he knew something else was up, he was sure of it, he also knew he would have a hard time getting it out of her though. She would actually have to admit that something was wrong first, and it by the looks of it, that wasn't exactly a likely option at this point, not with Rory and her cursed talent of denial.

Though she may have been closer to realizing the problem than she led on.

He gave her a quick side glance. She was looking out the window, seemingly finding interest in the nearly empty streets of Hartford, but her mind was else where, she had that far away look in her eyes—that was not a good sign.

What in the world did Danny say to her?

------

She had instantly regretted calling Danny right after the phone call had ended, actually before the phone call had ended. He had planted _him_ in her head, right smack dab in the middle of her date with Tristan of all times.

She hated the fact that he was getting to her. After her conversation with Danny, all she had been trying to do was to push the mere thought of him out of her head, but she needed to up her efforts, because it was always just a matter of minutes before it made its way back.

She couldn't really imagine the guys doing anything major, they had promised her that they would leave him alone, and they always stuck to their word, well, with exceptions.

She inwardly sighed. That was it. They must have viewed this as another one of their 'exceptions'. And most of the time, there was a pretty vast difference of her take on exceptions and theirs.

Why couldn't they just leave it alone?

* * *

Amber threw the cordless phone on a nearby chair, and plopped face first down onto her bed, groaning into her pillow.

"What'd they say?" Chelsea asked.

Amber rolled over so that she was starring at the ceiling, and blew a strand of hair off of her face, "It's official. Our boyfriends are idiots."

* * *

"Dude, what the hell did you say to her?" Tristan demanded over his cell phone just after he had dropped Rory off. How could a simple call of Rory asking her brother about his Halloween costume from twelve years ago cause her to act distant for the entire rest of their date? She had only given him a quick peck on the cheek as a goodbye kiss for crying out loud.

"What did I say to who?" Danny asked, playing dumb.

"You know who."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

The girls had already been furious at his 'mindless acts of stupidity' when he had given them a heads up of what had happened after Rory had called, he really didn't need to hear about how it ruined their date as well, he felt bad enough as it was.

"Danny," Tristan said warningly.

"Nick." Danny mumbled in defeat after a few moments of silence.

"What?" Tristan asked, not sure if he had heard his friend correctly.

"Nick." he repeated dryly.

Tristan gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white, "And pray tell, why—"

"I didn't mean to!" Danny defended, already knowing what Tristan was going to say, "She overheard me when I told the guys to shut up and she got suspicious, and damn that IQ of hers... she just had to go and figure it all out."

Tristan sighed, "What were you doing anyway?"

* * *

"Hey sweetie." Lorelai greeted, walking into the lobby with a pile of mail in one hand, and a cup of coffee in the other.

"Hey." Rory said, closing the front door.

"You're home early."

"Yea." she stated simply, already making her way towards the stairs.

"How was your date?"

"Good."

"Did you have fun?"

"Yep."

"You gunna expand your vocabulary to more than just one syllable words?"

"Mmm hmm."

"Two syllables, we're making progress here. Though I'm not sure 'mmm' and 'hmm' really count as actual words." When she didn't get a response from Rory, who was still making her way up the stairs, she added, "Oooh, let me guess, he gave you one of those mind numbing kisses goodnight that left you speechless." She was only half joking. Actually, come to think of it, she wasn't joking at all, she had been a witness to one of their displays of affection one time; it wasn't particularly something she wanted to see again. Rory was still her baby girl after all. Lorelai just liked to picture sweet, innocent little kisses, and leave it at that.

"Huh?" Rory said, turning around at the top of the stairs to face her mother, only to receive a funny look.

"Oh, ummm, yea." Rory answered absentmindedly, before turning around again and disappearing into the upstairs hallway.

Lorelai frowned at Rory's odd behavior. If there was a mind numbing kiss, then she would have had a small, content smile playing on her lips and her eyes would have been be covered in a dreamy haze.

But there was no smile, or dreamy look in her eyes.

There was no mind numbing kiss.

That would be classified under the abnormal section.

Lorelai sighed as she realized the only possible cause for her daughter's distant state.

_And so it begins_.

* * *

A maid greeted Danny, Charlie, Josh, and Mike shortly after they rang the doorbell.

"Yes?" the woman asked.

"Hello, we're here to see Nick." Danny said.

"And you are..."

"Danny. Danny Hayden. And these are just some friends." he smiled.

"Is Master Nicholas expecting you?"

The four guys resisted the urge to laugh out loud... Master Nicholas.

"Actually, I don't think so, but we just came by to drop off a project for school." he said, holding up the pile of papers he had.

"Well, I could just deliver those to him." she said, reaching for the folder.

"Well there's actually something I need explain to him... about the project... for school."

She frowned and pursed her lips, "It's rather late."

"Yes, and I am very sorry ma'am, but this is really important, and I just think that it'd be better if we saw him in person."

She sighed. "Alright then, come in, I will inform Master Nicholas of your presence," she said, allowing them to step inside the mansion, then she added with a slight blush, "though I am not sure if he is available at the moment, he has a... guest."

That was not something they needed to hear. But the knowledge of him currently in the process of screwing some girl, only justified the reason they were here in the first place, it just made their plan more worthwhile. If they were lucky enough, the scene would even unfold in front of her.

"Thank you, and umm... okay."

* * *

Tristan looked at the red digits on his alarm clock that night. It was still early, well, early considering that he had had a date. He contemplated whether or not he should call her, but decided against it given her odd behavior when he last saw her. It would be pointless to have another one sided conversation.

Despite what Danny had told him on the phone afterwards, he couldn't shake off the nagging feeling that it was more than just about Nick. He had a part in this too. He was more than just the boyfriend, at least to Rory. All he needed to figure out was which role he was supposed to play.

But even though he didn't know exactly what it was, he did know that it wasn't one with a happy ending.

For now anyway.

------

Rory stared at the dark ceiling as she lay in bed.

Her date had ended early. It probably had to do with the fact that their conversation had become mostly one sided, with Tristan doing the talking and her adding a nod at what she thought were the appropriate places.

He thought that she was just listening, interested in the things he was saying since they never really talked much about him, but that theory soon went down the drain as soon as she nodded when he asked her jokingly if she wanted to go hit the gym someday.

It was then that he had decided that she wasn't feeling very well, and that he should take her home.

She felt guilty when she remembered his look of disappointment, which he quickly covered up with genuine concern. She inwardly sighed; guilt was not something she wanted to throw on top the growing pile of unwanted feelings. Unfortunately, that was something she had no control over, and guilt landed right on top with a big thud. She hadn't even bothered to correct him when he made the false conclusion that she was feeling sick.

Well, technically she was feeling sick, just not in the way that was intended.

She still couldn't believe that she had gone bungee jumping. The fact that Tristan had actually gotten her to agree to it in less than ten minutes was something that she found quiet astounding. Actually, it was something that anyone would have found astounding.

If he could convince her to make a two hundred and fifty foot dive so easily, she couldn't even imagine what he was fully capable of.

How? She didn't know. No one else would have been able to get her to do something like that. Not even her mom or her brother. And yet, she felt so safe with Tristan.

When he was there, she could do practically anything.

And if he wasn't there?

Well, she really didn't know what she would do if he wasn't there. But, she did know that it was not something she'd be able to handle well.

And that's when she knew that she had fallen head over heels for Tristan Dugrey. She had always known that she was falling for him, but she just never quite realized the impact of it. Could it be love? She wasn't really sure. This was completely different from the first time that she had been in love, or, the first time that she had thought she had been in love, though that didn't really turn out that well.

What she felt for Tristan was way beyond anything that had happened with Nick. This was something new. She was walking on unknown territory, oblivious to what was going to happen next. Maybe it'd be good, or maybe... it wouldn't. What if he—Rory closed her eyes, not allowing herself to venture forward into the thought. She didn't like this new concept of hers. Not one bit.

Then it finally clicked. All the weird emotions that she had pushed from her mind for the past week finally made sense. And at that point, it seemed that there was only one thing that she could do.

She wasn't going to give him the chance to leave her, or, hurt her... not if her heart was on the line.


	18. Chapter 18

**Everything**

**_Disclaimer:_** I don't own anything except the plot and the characters that you don't recognize from the show.

**_Summary:_** When Rory Hayden comes back to Chilton for her senior year, she still sees Tristan Dugrey as her brother's annoying friend that won't seem to leave her alone. But when opinions change, friendships can form, and maybe, it could become something more.

**_Good to know:_** Rory went to school in England for a year, then comes back to Chilton for her senior year. She hangs out with her old friends. Lorelai and Christopher are married and they live in Hartford. Dean and Jess don't exist. She's not friends with Paris; I'm having fun with my own characters.

**_Rating:_ **PG13

**_A/N: _**So, so sorry for the long update! I pretty much had this whole chapter written out a while ago, but when I read over it, I _hated_ it, so I had to re-write it. Hence the longer than long update. Sorry if it seems a bit rushed, but if I don't want to drag it on, then I tend to just get it all out... can't seem to make it go at the right pace. Feedback would be greatly appreciated!

**_Note: _**Flashbacks are italicized, and are separated with '.x.x.x.'

* * *

**Chapter 18**

* * *

The four guys exited the house with satisfied smiles on their faces. Yes, there was definitely an ego bash. And no, he would no longer be an issue within the group. Mission accomplished; simple as that.

.x.x.x.

"_Make it quick, I was in the middle of something." Nick said carelessly as he plopped down on the kitchen stool, and put his hands behind is head, leaning back against them. _

"_Well then please, don't stop on our account," Danny said with a sweep of his hands, "Go back and entertain your female friend, we can always just continue this at school on Monday."_

"_In front of everyone." Charlie added with a fake smile. _

_Nick glared at them suspiciously, "What the hell do you want?"_

.x.x.x.

They piled into the car, and Danny geared up the engine. No one said a word. Sending one last look at the cold mansion they had been in just moments ago, he backed out of the driveway.

.x.x.x.

_Nick peered cautiously at the white folder in front of him before slowly reaching for it. He opened the folder and his eyes widened as he read the contents._

"_Where did you get this?" Nick asked through gritted teeth. His eyes flickered up to meet those of Danny's, whose expression was unreadable._

.x.x.x.

Their smiles slowly faded for some unknown reason. They had finally managed to get Nick to stay away. They should be happy about this. Now the past wouldn't come back to haunt Rory, and she and Tristan could continue to be the nauseating couple that they were and make people around them feel physically ill.

.x.x.x.

_Nick's face turned from about five shades of white, to five shades of red just as Mike read an excerpt from one of the conversations between 'SweetCherryPie' and NickMac._

_"Awww, did Mrs. Piggle Wiggle haunt your dreams again?" Danny said, feigning sympathy. _

_"What do you want?"_

_"For you to stay the hell away from Rory and us."_

_Nick didn't say anything, though Danny knew that he didn't exactly have a choice on the matter, just for kicks though, he added, "Should we tell them about the things you've got hidden under your bed as well?"_

_"I get it, okay?" Nick said bitterly, before they could continue._

.x.x.x.

Yet, why did they have the nagging feeling that their completed task didn't have quite the intended affect? What if they should have listened to Rory? '_Just leave it alone.'_ What if they really had just gone and dug up something that was meant to stay buried? What if Rory really was telling the truth when she said that she wasn't going to let him get to her? What if that single phone call and a slip of the tongue had changed that?

What if... what if they were too late?

* * *

Tristan spotted Rory at her locker on Monday morning talking to the girls. He hesitated before walking up to her, not quite sure what to expect. They had only talked once during the weekend after their date, and even then she seemed distant.

"Hey," he greeted, leaning down to give her a kiss. Her action of turning her face so that he kissed her cheek instead of her lips did not go unnoticed by him, or their friends. The girls sent wary glances to each other while Tristan tried to hide his disappointment, "You feeling better?"

Rory gave him a somewhat forced smile, "Yeah."

The next thing he knew she was quickly making her way down the hall after mumbling something about having to talk to a teacher about a paper.

Tristan sighed moments later, and sent a longing glance at Rory's retreating figure before turning around and walking away, without any acknowledgement to the small group of friends watching the scene unfold.

Amber, Chelsea, Kelly, and April just continued to stand there in the middle of the Chilton hallway, which was slowly filling up with students. None of them said a word, but they all had the same thoughts.

It didn't take a rocket scientist to see what was going on inside Rory's head when it came to relationships. People could read her like an open book; the only one who took decades to figure out what was happening was Rory herself.

This pre-breakup behavior was long over due.

* * *

"Where's Rory?" Tristan asked when he didn't see his girlfriend sitting at the lunch table like usual.

Rory had specifically told them not to tell Tristan where she had gone. When they asked her why, her response was that she wouldn't be able to get much studying done with him around, which they usually would've bought, since that was a very true statement, but given her earlier performance, her and Tristan making out behind the bookshelves didn't really seem to be a likely factor. Though they agreed to cover for her nonetheless.

"Uhh, she had to go to the library to study." Kelly blurted out after a few moments of silence. Amber kicked her underneath the table and Kelly's face shone with guilt.

The four girls winced as they watched Tristan stalk off towards the library, throwing his uneaten lunch in the garbage along the way. They really shouldn't have told him that, well, Kelly really shouldn't have told him that. She was never really one to keep things from her friends.

The guys sat there picking at their food, not knowing what to do. Silence engulfed the table. A rarity. Not a good rarity to say the least. It usually resulted in a big fight between one pair or another while the others watched uncomfortably, though someone would end the dispute eventually. It never did get past one lunch hour.

Except this time it was different. There weren't any mishaps or misunderstandings. This time it was just Tristan and Rory. Relationships had never really been a problem amongst the group, after denial ran its course and the current pair that they were playing matchmaker with got together, it was pretty much smooth sailing from there, at least where they were concerned. Obviously there would be fights behind closed doors, but that was only natural.

They weren't sure what this would be classified as. Rory and Tristan had gone past the stage of getting together, but they weren't exactly having a fight. In order for a fight to ensue, both parties would have to know what was going on, and there would have to be a disagreement. But in this case, Tristan was still left on dry land while Rory was floating around in that little mind of hers, trying to figure things out for herself. And there can't be a disagreement if there's nothing to disagree about. So... what was this exactly?

* * *

Tristan headed straight for the back of the library to Rory's favourite spot. Whether he was with her or not, it was her hideout. He found her curled up in an overstuffed chair. With a textbook open and her notes out, she appeared to be studying. And, maybe that was her original game plan, but the fact that her eyes had remained still on the same spot of the same page showed that she was clearly not studying.

He crept up behind her, and leaned over, "Hey." he said quietly into her ear.

* * *

Rory sat alone in the library, attempting to get her mind off of things by studying, but all she was doing was staring at what appeared to be piece of paper with pencil marks all over it, her thoughts far from the contents printed in the textbook.

Throughout the entire weekend, she had been second guessing her decision about their relationship. Maybe this wasn't something that needed to happen; it sure as hell wasn't something she _wanted _to happen.

She mildly remembered him saying something about having physical as well as mental torture induced on him if he ever hurt her, a threat—made by more than a few people—in which he had no doubt on his mind would be carried out if he ever performed such an act.

But those words were of little comfort to her at the moment. They were just meant as a joke, she told herself. Maybe her friends and family would just hold a grudge on him and hate him forever, ban him from the group. He could get new friends in point zero one seconds flat, so it wouldn't really even have much of an effect on him, if any. A part of her knew that none of the things she was thinking were true, but she ignored it, maybe that way it would make her decision easier.

"Hey."

Rory snapped from her train of thoughts at the sound of his husky voice. The tingles she got from his warm breath across her neck answered her own inquiry. This was definitely something that needed to happen.

"Hey." she said softly without making eye contact.

He very well knew that something was different, but that didn't stop him from acting like everything was normal. Just last week they had been here kissing like there was no tomorrow, and he planned on reenacting a very similar scene today. In an instant he had pulled her up from her seat, sat down on the leather chair, and plopped her down on his lap, crashing his lips to hers.

She was slightly taken back by his actions, he was never this bold. She shouldn't be doing this, not when she had just realized that she had to end it, but she kissed him back anyway. She felt his tongue pleading for entrance into her mouth, and she granted him the request. He would've gotten his way sooner or later.

And with that thought, the warning bells went off in her head, and for once, she forced herself to listen to them, the shrilling sounds were too much to ignore. She put her hand to his chest and pushed him away.

One minute they're kissing passionately, the next, they're not.

She met his piecing gaze and stared into his deep blue eyes; they were full of wonder and confusion, but they were also full of lust and lo—. _'Oh my god.' _

She really had to do this. Now.

"Ror—"

She stopped him before he could ask any questions. She had a gut feeling that she was about to make a huge mistake, one that she was sure to regret, but her panic level continued to rise and her mind took over. The way he was looking at her scared her more than she could've ever imagined. The decision was set.

She was usually one to beat around the bush and wait until the last possible moment. But if she treaded any deeper into this, she was afraid that there would be no turning back.

"I think we should—."


End file.
